ANGRY campaigners have called on the Government to take action over an “eyesore” road.

The A27 Clean Up Campaign wants it to take responsibility for the litter-strewn road, which has been branded a “national disgrace”.

It has asked the Government to force Highways England to clean up the dual carriageway.

Co-chairman of the campaign Neil Kerridge said: “Each of the local authorities and MPs with whom we are working recognises this is a serious issue.

“The poor condition of the road has seen a marked deterioration over the last few years.”

Across the A27, each council is responsible for cleaning up its own section of the road.

This has lead to difficulties as council litter pickers must coordinate with Highways England to clean up the road safely.

Campaigners claim some sections of the A27 have not been cleaned for nearly three years.

Mr Kerridge has now written a letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps demanding Highways England takes full responsibility for cleaning the road.

“It’s an eyesore for everyone who travels along it, hence the increasing number of complaints,” he said.

“We need to ensure that the system for removing the litter is as efficient and effective as possible.

“It will be important to ensure that Highways England’s contractors perform the litter removal task to required standards.”

Mr Kerridge also called for penalties to be put in place against littering on the highway.

Highways England is responsible for cutting grass verges along the road.

But it is councils who must clean up the litter, meaning some verges are strimmed before they are cleaned, cutting up the rubbish and embedding it in the soil.

Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who supports the campaign, said it would be more practical for the Highways Agency to take on cleaning duties.

“Because of the confusion, it has become very dirty and rubbish is piling up on the sides of the road,” he said.

“It would be more practical for the Highways Agency to clean it to ensure our county is welcoming to visitors.”

A spokesman for the Highways Agency said it tried to work closely with councils to coordinate clean ups.

He said: “The responsibility to keep the A27 free from litter is with the local authority. We try to work closely with them to help their litter operatives best utilise the traffic management we have in place.

“This allows them to safely get out onto the road while vehicles are travelling at a reduced speed.”

The spokesman said maintenance crews had collected almost 8,000 bags of litter last year in the South East and checked roads weekly.