Permit scheme aims to stop repeat of roadworks disruption on A259 in Lancing

West Sussex County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport John O’Brien is set to introduce the scheme, which will require companies such as utility firms wanting to carry out work on county highways to obtain a permit directly from the authority.

Permission is currently granted by the secretary of state for transport, but it is hoped the changes will mean the county council can influence the quality of the reinstatement works to roads.

Speaking to Mr O’Brien at a Full Council meeting last Friday Mick Clark (UKIP, Saltings) said: “Can you reassure us that the new permit scheme will bring an end to the unnecessary downtime experienced when roads in this county are shut down when no visible work is actually taking place, for example on the A259 in Lancing where this has frequently been criticised last year.”

Mr O’Brien (Con, East Grinstead South and Ashurst Wood) replied: “It does allow us to impose limits to how long those works will take and if the contractors are overrunning it gives us greater controls to control that overrun, and obviously we do not want to see roadworks with nobody actually working on it.

“Sometimes there’s reasons for it, but quite often suspicion is they have just gone somewhere else.”

Have you been affected by roadworks on the A259? Comment below or email the newsdesk.

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