These roads are closed due to flooding; severe delays on A27, A24 and A259 amid traffic signal failure and roadworks

National Highways has reported delays of more than 20 minutes on the A27 eastbound in West Sussex – between Worthing and Shoreham-by-Sea – ‘due to reports of faulty traffic lights at Sompting’.

A spokesperson added: “Our regional control room have been made aware and will be investigating. Please allow extra journey time.”

According to AA Traffic News, the Hillbarn traffic lights have failed on A27 Upper Brighton Road both ways at Busticle Lane.

‘Severe delays’ are reportedly increasing on A27 Upper Brighton Road eastbound in West Sussex. There are also queues on A27 Upper Brighton Road westbound between Old Shoreham Road and Dankton Lane.

In Chichester, heavy traffic has been reported – despite no obvious incident – on A27 eastbound between the Emsworth Services and A259 Cathedral Way (Fishbourne roundabout).

Rush hour traffic is also increasing on Robin Hood Roundabout northbound, near Horsham, between A24 (Broadbridge Heath roundabout) and A264 (Great Daux Roundabout).

Another traffic notice read: “Severe delays of ten minutes and delays increasing on A24 London Road Northbound between A24 and A283 The Pike.”

In East Sussex, temporary traffic signals are causing delays on the A259 in Bexhill. There is reportedly slow traffic on A259 Barnhorn Road both ways at the Applegreen Petrol station.

At Lower Dicker, delays are reportedly increasing on A22 northbound between A22 and Mansers Lane.

Meanwhile, a couple of roads are flooded in Sussex after amber and yellow weather warnings were issued for the whole of the county ahead of Storm Ciarán.

These are roads are impassable this morning, according to the AA:

- Lullington Road, Lullington: road closed due to flooding on Lullington Road both ways from Alfriston Road to Back Lane. Along the Cuckmere River;

- Westcourt Drive, Bexhill: “Road closed due to flooding on Westcourt Drive both ways from Terminus Avenue to B2182 Cooden Drive. Under the railway bridge.

Flooding also forced the closure of A27 Warren Road, both ways from A24 Broadwater Street West (Grove Lodge Roundabout) to A24 Findon Road (Offington Corner) on Tuesday evening – but the road has since reopened.

An incident has also been reported on the railway line.

Southern Rail reported on X (formerly Twitter) at 6.45am: “Due to a fault with the signalling system between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport, train services running through these stations may be delayed.

“Southern / Thameslink / Gatwick Express services may be delayed by up to 10-15 minutes between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport.

“This is due to an intermittent closure of two of the four lines in the Coulsdon area, to allow Network Rail to investigate a signalling issue.”

Southern said its journey planners ‘are not always tracking individual trains correctly’ in this area.

“We are working to ensure this is also resolved as quickly as possible,” a spokesperson added.

"Journey planners across the South have been impacted due to a signalling fault, affecting signal boxes and their ability to track trains.

“This will mean some trains will need to be talked past each signal manually, causing delays of up to 20 minutes.”

You may still use your ticket at no extra cost to travel on: Southern or Thameslink trains on any reasonable route to your destination; TfL buses on routes between Gatwick Airport, Redhill, Purley, and East Croydon.

Further ticket acceptance is in place on Metrobus routes between: Horsham, Three Bridges, and Gatwick Airport; Gatwick Airport, Redhill and Purley & Redhill and Tattenham Corner.

It comes after Southern warned Storm Ciarán would bring ‘significant disruption’ to the railway.