Frustrated drivers hope for end to landslip queues

Residents and businesses say they are "frustrated" at long traffic queues, three years after a landslip in West Sussex.

The landslip happened in December 2022 on steep embankments on the A29 Church Hill, Pulborough, after which concrete barriers and a single-lane traffic system were installed.

West Sussex County Council said it has been in discussions with the landowners over a resolution, but "were not able to reach an agreement with them as quickly as we had hoped".

A council spokesperson said there was a "prospect" of progress being made soon as a court hearing had been scheduled for January next year.

But the people living and working nearby say they are growing tired of the delays.

Claire Denman, who works at The Flower Shop in Pulborough, said: "We're all finding the new normality - there are every-so-often little hiccups.

"When the hiccups come, it can be very, very frustrating. I think some of the challenges are where people jump the lights.

"The reality is when you're caught in the middle between two huge concrete barriers, it's certainly interesting," she said.

"I know it's really difficult to find a resolution from both parties, but I'm really hopeful that [in] 2026 we'll finally get it sorted out."

Resident Christine Lindsay said: "I think people are a bit frustrated at the fact that it hasn't been sorted out.

"But on the other hand, it's quite safe to go up and down the hill because the traffic lights work very well.

"We have problems if a car breaks down on the hill. It can get very busy, to say the least."

Leon Stillwell, who works at Michael Courtney Butchers in Pulborough, said: "I was a bit hesitant about it first of all, but personally I think what they've done at the moment is working better than what was anticipated.

"Has it affected trade for us? Not really."

Robin Zalesny, owner of Hamilton Cole, says people are "exceptionally frustrated".

"It's been going on for so long now, it's almost become the norm," he said.

"But the traffic here for us on Station Road, at busy times, is always queued up, especially around the end of work days.

"So it's very frustrating for everybody."

The council says that if the works are not approved by the courts, it will consider "other legal routes under active consideration".

"We must allow the current court process to reach a conclusion before we begin an alternative route," a spokesperson said.

"In the meantime, the single lane signal-controlled arrangement is regularly reviewed to ensure it continues to provide a safe and workable temporary solution."

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