A Sussex MP is demanding positive steps in the fight for the development of a bypass for Arundel.

Arundel and South Downs MP Howard Flight has written to Transport Minister Lord Whitty asking for confirmation the town will be included in an action plan for roads unveiled by the Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, last week.

Local residents, Arundel Town Council and Arun District Council have campaigned for years for a bypass which they hope will ease severe traffic congestion along a two-mile stretch of the A27 that passes through the town.

The situation is worse in the summer as thousands of people visit the area and there are a large number of accidents.

The roads programme for the bypass started in 1985 and in 1993 broad agreement was reached among the Government's highways' department department, the community, the environmental lobby, West Sussex County Council and the district council for a new road to bypass Arundel.

The new road would cover about four miles and cost in the region of £23 million.

In 1996, the proposal was elevated to the Government's main roads programme to be implemented as soon as funding was possible. However, the idea was scrapped during a major review of roads in 1998.

Mr Flight said: "Since 1997, I have dealt with more than four inches of correspondence with constituents and the highways department.

"At the end of last year a private-finance initiative was proposed to break the deadlock but was dismissed without adequate consideration.

"This story has been dragging on for 15 years. The 1998 review said discussion for the road would be carried out sometime in the future, probably around 2000 or 2001, which probably means well beyond that date.

"We now have the opportunity to see the bypass moved much further up the transport agenda and I have written to the Minister for confirmation of this.

"Local people will be understandably suspicious of the Government's motives if, after the recent announcements, Arundel is no nearer to getting the bypass it desperately needs."