A council is urging the government to address the issue of severe congestion on the A27 as it fears it impacts the local economy.

West Sussex County Council is calling on the government to address “severe congestion” on the A27 following the announcement earlier this year that plans for a bypass at Arundel would be cancelled. The council has also accused the government of failing “to tackle serious congestion at other bottlenecks along the route”.

The issue was debated by county councillors across all political parties in response to a notice of motion at full council on October 18.

As the main road serving the south coast, the A27 is a crucial route through the south east. A series of bottlenecks including at Chichester, Arundel, Worthing and Polegate cause serious disruptions.

Read more: Campaigners welcome scrapping of A27 Arundel Bypass plans

The majority voted to seek a meeting with the highways minister to discuss long-term solutions on what is a major route supporting the economy of the south east.

In addition, the council will write to Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressing concern over the lack of consultation and viable alternative strategies following the cancellation of the bypass for Arundel.

Councillor Joy Dennis, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet member for highways and transport said: "The government’s decision to cancel plans for the Arundel bypass without proposing alternatives is deeply disappointing. The congestion along the A27, particularly near Arundel, has been a long-standing issue for residents and businesses alike, who have been waiting for a solution for far too long.

The A27’s ongoing congestion has long been a concern for local businesses, which consistently cite improvements to the road as essential for boosting productivity and economic growth in the region. There are growing fears traffic issues will worsen, particularly in light of housing development proposals for the area.

Councillor Steve Waight, Cabinet member for Support Services and Economic Development added: “I would like to thank Cllr Simon Oakley for raising the motion at full council and all councillors who supported this important resolution. We hope the government will now work with us to develop real and lasting improvements to the A27 corridor."