Release date: 5 January 2024
The severe weather has forced the postponement of carriageway repair works at the Carfax in Horsham town centre. The works had been scheduled to start on Monday (8 January).
A West Sussex Highways spokesperson said: “Regretfully, the recent heavy rainfall and bad weather has meant diverting resources from planned works, such as this, to tackle emergencies at other locations.
“Temperatures are also forecast to drop over the weekend and into next week, which could have impacted on the chances of the new surface materials at the Carfax successfully setting/hardening.
“We appreciate that this decision is frustrating and apologise for any inconvenience. We will announce a new date for the works as soon as possible. Meanwhile, we will continue our routine inspections and carry out safety-related repairs where required.”
General update on the severe weather's impact on roads in West Sussex:
There are currently seven road closures in place in West Sussex following the torrential rainfall on Thursday afternoon/evening (4 January) and this morning, which fell on already-saturated ground.
A West Sussex Highways spokesperson said: “In the past five days we have experienced 80 per cent of the average January rainfall across the county, with the majority of that falling over 12 hours between noon and midnight on 4 January.
“Unfortunately, even the most efficient highway drainage systems can be overwhelmed in these severe conditions, forcing some roads to be closed. Privately-owned land surrounding the highway will often also be overwhelmed in these circumstances. In some areas, highway drainage is reliant on a surrounding watercourse, such as a stream, however if the watercourse is over capacity, highway water cannot drain away. Our Highways teams are working around the clock to respond to the impacts of the wet weather and will remain on standby over the coming days.
“We have a list of road closures on the severe weather page on the county council’s website and you can also follow @WS Highways on X for updates.”
