A SIGN warning drivers they are entering a “pollution hot spot” has been installed at the roadside.

According to climate change group Extinction Rebellion, Shoreham has a high level of pollution.

Campaigners have put up a giant sign saying “you are now entering an air pollution hot spot, travel more efficiently and less often” at the eastern entrance to the town to remind drivers of the harmful effects of driving on the environment.

“About 30,000 cars are going through that small town on a daily basis at the moment according to national figures,” said Extinction Rebellion activist Hamish Mckenzie.

“We put this sign up to try and get people thinking about how they travel.

“There are plenty of ways to cut down on air pollution.

“We should bring back hitchhiking but it seems to have gone out of fashion and been replaced with paranoia.”

Mr Mckenzie said most of the vehicles passing along the A27 through Shoreham are single occupancy.

“About 62 per cent of these 30,000 cars driving past daily just tend to have one person driving in them,” he said.

“We could so easily cut down just through car sharing.

“The traffic in this part of the country has got so bad, especially at this time of the year in the summer.”

He said the high volume of cars also meant more traffic jams which are particularly bad for polluting the air.

He said: “The traffic jams make the air worse because when drivers are idling, they are not turning off their engines and it’s just pumping out pollution.

“I know everyone thinks of the outside air but it’s also really bad for drivers because all that pollution is getting into the car system and through the air con.”

Recent highways figures from last year show about 25,000 vehicles

passed through Shoreham a day in July and August last year.

Other Sussex towns have issues with high levels of pollution.

Research from the British Lung Foundation and campaign group UK100 found air around Worthing Hospital was polluted above safe limits.

The report revealed notable levels of PM2.5, which are tiny particles produced by cars and other vehicles.

Researchers found the area around the Lyndhurst Road hospital breached the safe limit set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Extinction Rebellion Shoreham is holding a Funeral March in memory of the flora and fauna which have perished as a result of the escalating climate crisis at 11am on Sunday.