Chaos on A259 in Lancing: 'We’re working as quickly as we can'

Southern Water has apologised for the ongoing, and seemingly endless, disruption on the A259, where traffic management is in place and tankers used to manage sewer flows. It follows dozens of sewage leaks in the area, particularly the West Beach residential estate.

"We’re sorry for the continuing disruption to residents near our important work in Lancing and to drivers using the A259,” a Southern Water spokesperson said.

"We’re working as quickly as we can and after November 11 we should be able to cut the number of tankers – and their noise – by nearly half.

"Traffic management will have to stay in place until the tankers are no longer needed. The tankers are used to manage sewer flows while work goes on.

“Our customer teams have continued to talk to residents and keep them up to speed with our progress and our chief customer officer Katy Taylor will be holding a drop in session with locals. We also post weekly updates here.”

Residents have described scenes of ‘carnage’ and ‘chaos’, with one local describing the situation as an ‘absolute nightmare’.

Photographer Eddie Mitchell was at the scene last week. Alongside his photo gallery, he noted that bin lorries were being trapped by tankers, with green spaces being damaged, whilst sewage and dust were continuing to cause problems for locals.

Have you read?: Lancing sewage leak: Residents 'utterly exhausted'; repair works cause traffic chaos after latest incident

Geoff Patmore, the vice-chairman of the West Beach Residents’ Association said: “One year ago, Southern Water started work on the sewers at West Beach The contractors have worked hard and continue to do so relining the the sewage pipe which runs through West Beach from Shoreham Beach homes.

“The year has been very stressful for all residents of West Beach The traffic issues are caused by the tankers having to take all the sewage from the Shoreham beach pipe while relining at West Beach.

"We hope that Southern Water will soon complete the work and repair the extensive damage to the road especially Westway and the Broadway.”

A meeting was due to be held at the Ropetackle [Arts Centre] in Shoreham-by-Sea on Monday evening (November 7).

Following reports the water company offered a payment of £30,000 to the community, a Southern Water spokesperson said: “At last night’s meeting with local residents, we proposed the concept of a community donation to be made as part of a legacy project once the works have been completed in Lancing.

“We will continue to explore this proposal, along with a number of other suggestions raised during discussions, with residents.”

Local resident Nigel Sweet said any talk of compensation is ‘peripheral’ to the main problems.

"The key thing is getting the works completed and our roads back to how they should be and for them to repair any damage their tankers have done,” he said.

“We want this gone, we want this sorted but we are a long way from that. They couldn’t give us a date when work will likely be completed.

"It’s massively frustrating. The damage they’ve caused to the roads and below our houses is potentially really serious.”