Feasibility study on easing A27 congestion

The road is the only major east-west road on the south coast

A feasibility study is being carried out on how to reduce bottlenecks on the often heavily-congested A27.

An estimated £100m is needed to make improvements to the trunk road, which links east and west Sussex.

The road, from Pevensey to Portsmouth, is the only major east-west road on the south coast,

An announcement on whether funding will be made available is expected in the chancellor's Autumn Statement on 3 December.

West Sussex County Council said the A27 was "one of the most unreliable trunk roads in England".

"This unreliability affects the local economy as it causes delays for businesses, residents and visitors to West Sussex," a spokesman said.

Local campaigners took Transport Minister John Hayes to see one of the worst black spots on Thursday.

The Conservative visited Pevensey, East Sussex, where the A27 takes over from the A259.

He said: "It's something we're looking at as a department, we have a feasibility study looking at what could be done to improve things.

"You can make decisions in Westminster and Whitehall, but actually getting a look and feel of what the effect of those decisions is going to be, is vitally important."