M23 underpass 'impassable' in the rain - residents

An underpass underneath the M23 in Crawley regularly gets blocked up with mud and water, according to residents

Residents claim a footpath underneath the M23 in West Sussex becomes impassable for up to nine months of the year due to a lack of maintenance.

They said the underpass, which connects Crabbet Park and the Pound Hill estate in Crawley, gets filled with stagnant water because of blocked drains and for "nine months of the year it's not passable", according to resident Nic Allen.

Residents say they have previously paid about £800 to clear the underpass with an excavator, but now they want authorities to take action.

West Sussex County Council said it had "no maintenance responsibilities" for the path and said it was National Highways' responsibility. National Highways was approached for comment.

Mr Allen told BBC Radio Sussex: "After every rainfall the water and mud piles up, there's nowhere for it go because the drains aren't serviced.

"This services a gym, the Holiday Inn and the Pound Hill estate which has the local shops and quite a significant bus route.

"A couple of us have got together before and hired a digger which is £800 a year. Everyone accepts there's a problem but no-one wants to do anything about it."

Mr Allen said he had lived in the area for 12 years but the issues only started happening in the last four years.

Residents have previously taken matters into their own hands to clear the footpath

Residents Amanda and Peter Barber said the uncleared underpass stopped them from getting buses into town.

They said it caused residents to use an alternative route which they claimed was "dangerous" as it did not have a pavement for pedestrians.