Picturesque 12-mile drive tops list of Britain's 10 most dangerous roads

A single carriageway from Petworth to Chichester named the most dangerous road.

16:56 05 November 2014

A popular 12-mile stretch of country A-road (Petworth to Chichester, West Sussex A27 to A272) has been named the nation’s “most persistently dangerous” highway. Despite running through one of the most picturesque parts of Britain, the toll of deaths and serious injuries here were “unacceptably high.” 

 

The “beautiful but dangerous road” is particularly popular with families and holidaymakers heading to the seaside and with visitors heading to events at Goodwood. 

 

The number people who were killed or seriously injured for the period of 2010-12 is 21. This is a 16.6per cent increase compared to data gathered in 2007 – 2009.  

 

The report concludes: ‘The UK’s persistently highest-risk road is a stretch of less than 12 miles in West Sussex.

 

‘The A285 between Chichester and Petworth runs north to south linking the A27 with the A272 and runs through the South Downs. 

 

‘It tops the list of high-risk and medium-high risk roads which have shown little or no change over time or significant increases in the number of crashes.’ 

 

The report added: ‘The safety measures taken so far are not enough to tackle the route. It requires a more far reaching intervention along the 12-mile length of the route which make junctions and roadsides safer in particular.’

 

Britain’s highest risk roads (by region) 

 

1. North West: A537 - 7 miles - Macclesfied to Buxton
2. South East: A285 - 12 miles - A27 (Chichester) to Petworth
3. Scotland: A809 - 10 miles - Glasgow to A811
4. Wales: A44 - 24 miles - Llangurin to Aberystwith
5. East of England: A1302 - 3 miles - A14 to A134 (Bury St Edmunds)
6. Yorkshire & Humber: A61 - 6 miles - Wakefield to M1 J44
7. East Midlands: A4300 - 4 miles - Full route through Kettering 
8. South West: A4151 - 5 miles - A43136 (Nailford) to A48
9. West Midlands: A422 - 7 miles - A429 to A46 (Stratford on Avon) 
10. North East: A67 - 10 miles - Darlington to A19

 

Britain's top 10 most 'persistently dangerous' roads


1. A285 - 12 miles - Petworth to Chichester, West Sussex A27 to A272
2. A809 - 10 miles - Glasgow to the A811
3. A937 - 8 miles - Montrose to the A90 (Laurencekirk)
4. A18 - 10 miles - Laceby to Ludborough near Grimsby
5. A6 - 6 miles - M6 junction 33 to Lancaster
6. A61 - 6 miles - Wakefield and the M1 junction 44
7. A36 - 4 miles - A3090 to Totton in Hampshire
8. A589 - 5 miles - Full route around Lancaster
9. A643 - 7 miles - Brighouse to Morely in Yorkshire
10. A4300 - 4 miles - Full route through Kettering