Petworth road still among Britain's most dangerous

The A285, which runs from Chichester through to Petworth, was listed as the fourth most dangerous route in the country with its sharp bends and collision rates being cited for its notoriety.

In 2014 it topped the list of the country’s most dangerous roads. West Sussex Highways received £1million in funding from the government to implement the first phase of safety improvements, with the money being spend in the 2017/18 financial year.

In last month, a £1.5million bid for the second phase was submitted to the Department for Transport.

The list has been compiled by road safety experts, Road Angel, which also described the A285: “This section of the A285 warns motorists to drive with caution during all conditions. Long and fast straights see cars spinning off in icy conditions, and the several sharp, unexpected bends provide very little visibility, especially in the winter mist and fog.

“Collision rates along this stretch of road are often hailed as a cause for concern but there are still frequent crashes, which is only made worse during the winter conditions.”

A West Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “We are unable to verify where this section of the A285 sits in comparison with other roads nationally. We can, however, confirm that a £2.4million safety improvement scheme, funded by a Department for Transport Road Safety Fund grant, was carried out along about 12km of the A285 between Halnaker and Petworth between 2017-19. This included improvement works to the carriageway including constructing sections of hard strip safety edge at the side of the road and introduced a ribbed edge line (similar to the ones found on motorways and dual carriageways) to help in cases of driver error. Recent monitoring suggests the scheme is making the road safer.”

A spokesperson for Road Angel said: “With some of the worst winter driving conditions set to continue well into 2023, you must remain extra vigilant when driving to avoid serious accidents on the road.

“Many of these roads have stunning views - like the picturesque scenes of the Scottish Highlands along Glen Quaich, but such sights can come at a cost in winter.

“Steep gradients along these roads make driving with ice on the road extremely hazardous because of the heightened risk of skidding.

“Motorists must first note that the Highway Code tells drivers to completely avoid driving in snow and ice unless the journey is essential and if so, they should use a high gear and slow speed.

“But for those who are travelling in adverse conditions over the wintertime, there are several routes across the country you should avoid completely.

“In fact a few of these roads, like Kirkstone Pass in the Lake District, are sometimes closed to motorists in the winter because of how dangerous it is to drive along.”