£1m road cash fight

The village's council members have lined up alongside their counterparts in Middleton for some of the cash to be used to improve the Comet Corner junction.

This puts the councils in opposition to Felpham Parish Council. Its members want the money, which will come from the developers of a 650 home estate in Felpham, to be spent exclusively within their area.

A heated debate about the issue was due to take place last nightat the joint western area committee of parish, district and county councillors.

Yapton Parish Council has this week publically signalled its strong support for Middleton's position to highlight the present problems at Comet Corner where the A259 and B2132 Yapton Road meet.

These difficulties will be worsened by a significant increase in traffic using the A259 once the new housing is built.

Cllr Stephen Haymes, the chairman of Yapton Parish Council, said: 'For some time, we have been independently urging the county council to improve the situation at Comet Corner.

'If anything, residents of Yapton who wish to travel to Bognor have a more difficult problem joining the A259 road than Middleton residents.

'Invariably, there is a tailback of vehicles along the Yapton Road waiting patiently at Comet Corner to join the A259.

'The alternative junction further down the A259 at the Oystercatcher pub is even more hazardous since there is a blind spot for drivers wishing to turn right. It seems right and sensible that the county council should now allocated monies to carry out what we regard as essential safety improvements at Comet Corner rather than spending scarce resources on what can best be described as cosmetic improvements elsewhere.'

Yapton Parish Council's area extends southwards to take in Hoe Lane, Flansham, close to the proposed housing development.