New A285 safety measures '˜make the road more dangerous'

Derek Stewart Smith who is concerned the work that has been carried out on the A285 at the Eartham turn causes cars to veer into the centre of the road ks170812

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Measures to tackle safety issues on what has been named '˜Britain's most dangerous stretch of road' have only made driving more hazardous claims a civil engineer.

Derek Stewart Smith, now retired and living in Graffham, spent 40 years designing main roads for highways authorities and the department for transport.

And he is concerned about a new ‘bulge’ that has been built out into the A285 at its junction with the road to Eartham.

He believes the money would be better spent on improving sight lines on Duncton Hill where serious accidents have occurred.

“It is to me a travesty to waste money making the corner more dangerous,” he told the Observer.

It is one of several measures planned after West Sussex County Council’s highways department received £1m to tackle issues on the 12 mile stretch of the A285 between Petworth and Chichester.

Mr Stewart Smith said the Eartham junction did not need any work except for the removal of some trees to improve visibility. “I think the new safety measures will actually make matters worse,” he told the Observer.