Lorry drivers delivering to supermarket giant Tesco have been accused of putting lives in danger.

Trucks visiting the company's Express stores in Bognor and Pagham are accused of blocking roads for 25 minutes at a time, forcing traffic into a single lane.

West Sussex county councillors have denounced the supermarket chain for ignoring their concerns over the issue.

Nyetimber councillor Mike Coleman said: "After many months of just plain rude silence I have finally lost my patience."

Tesco agreed to meet councillors and police after The Argus contacted the firm this week.

Coun Coleman said Tesco trucks did not use the loading bays provided for them at Tesco Express stores in Aldwick Road, Aldwick, and Pagham Road, Pagham.

Instead they park on the road and unload deliveries from there.

Coun Coleman says cars are forced to pull around the trucks while unsighted, leaving them vulnerable to collisions with traffic coming the other way.

He said: "They just stop and cause absolute chaos.

"They take up most of the road. The moment you pull out you're putting yourself and everybody else in potential danger."

Tesco says it is cutting back on the number of deliveries to its stores across the county and pledged to deal with problems arising in the communities where it has shops.

But Coun Coleman criticised Tesco for ignoring people in the area.

He said the firm had failed to respond to letters on the issue, even after Bognor and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb intervened.

He said: "I'd like them to use the designated areas when they make deliveries.

"We have asked if they could deliver with smaller trucks but our experience of negotiating with Tesco is you never get anything back.

"It is a lack of care for the local community.

"They provide a valuable service but they have a responsibility for the community as well."

The council's Joint Western Arun Area Committee has voted to invite Tesco to hold talks over the issue at its next meeting on July 18.

Felpham councillor George Blampied, who chairs the committee, said: "Tesco needs to be brought to the table with local representatives and the police."

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: "Being a good neighbour is important to Tesco and we will do whatever we can to deal with any problems that arise in neighbourhoods where we operate.

"We are committed to reducing the number of deliveries to our Express stores and looking at various ways of achieving this. We would be happy to take part in a meeting to discuss such issues if we are invited."

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