Work on a £40.5 million scheme to improve safety at a notorious accident black spot on the A23 has been delayed until 2008.

A Regional Transport Board (RTB), which has not yet been set up, will be responsible for deciding on a start date for the project at Handcross.

The Highways Agency announced the budget for the project last month.

It will also be spending £19 million to replace the level crossing on the A27 at Beddingham with a bridge over the railway and widen the road to a dual carriageway.

The development contract for the A27 plan has been awarded to Alfred McAlpine and construction should begin in 2006.

But the planning for the A23 works is going to be handed over to the RTB, which will be made up of representatives from local authorities and development agencies.

According to the Department of Transport, no date has been fixed for setting up the RTB and the Highways Agency does not believe work will start on the scheme until at least 2008.

The A23 is notorious for its poor safety record and has been the scene of 20 deaths in 14 months.

Steve Mohabir, 36, who lost his two-year-old son Marcus in a horrific crash on the A23 near Pyecombe last year, said: "The longer they put it off, the more chance there is that people will die.

"If there have been 15 deaths in the last 12 months then that means another 45 people could be dead in three years' time."

Helen Withers, 59, an office manager, has lived on the A23 at Handcross since 1978 and her driveway opens on to the busy road.

Her car was crumpled at both ends and she suffered whiplash in a collision with a lorry while she was trying to get into the drive.

She said: "I have correspondence on this subject that goes back years and it seems we can't get any further forward.

"These plans have been put back three times during the last 13 years due to lack of money or a change in priorities.

"Inevitably there will be more deaths before this scheme is implemented."

The plans for the A23 between Handcross and Warninglid include widening the two-lane stretch to three lanes to match the motorway-standard sections on either side of it.

White-line markings on the road will be realigned and junctions and private access points will be improved.

A spokeswoman for the Highways Agency said the A27 scheme had been given priority because the Railways Inspectorate had decided the level crossing at Beddingham was a high safety risk.

Unless the A27 works were put into action quickly, a full level crossing would have to be installed, requiring the road to be closed up to 24 minutes an hour rather than the present six. This would cause major disruption.

The spokeswoman said: "The Highways Agency is aware of the safety issues on the A23 and is developing the Handcross-Warninglid scheme to ensure there will be minimal delay when the Regional Transport Board makes its decision.

"Regrettably there is no absolute assurance on how the RTB will prioritise the A23 against other transport projects."

Monday, July 11 2005