MP HOPEFULS have visited a village which could be split in half by a dual carriageway.

Parliamentary candidates competing for the Arundel seat were quizzed by villagers on whether they supported plans to build an A27 bypass through nearby Binsted.

Highways England has proposed six possible routes for a new dual carriageway to ease traffic in Arundel.

But two of these routes, colour-coded magenta and grey, will split the village of Binsted in half if built.

Visiting the parish, Labour candidate Bella Sankey said she was against all six options proposed by the Government.

And she supported the “Arundel Alternative”, a 40mph single carriageway route propose by villagers but dismissed by Highways England.

“We’re cautiously hopeful,” said 70-year-old resident Maggie Moore.

“With the climate crisis becoming more and more obvious, we now think there is a chance for change even in this supposedly safe Conservative seat.”

Tory Nick Herbert, who stepped down as Arundel MP earlier this year, was a big supporter of the magenta route for the bypass.

But villagers said Conservative candidate Andrew Griffith was more open-minded to their concerns when he visited Binsted.

“Our previous MP, Nick Herbert, had said he would sacrifice Binsted to get a bypass,” said resident Darren Mills.

“Andrew Griffith was more open-minded. Perhaps he might support us.”

Lib Dem Alison Bennett said she understood arguments against the bypass.

But Arun District Council, controlled by her party, has backed the magenta route.

“We hope that if elected, Alison would help the campaign against magenta,” said resident Emma Tristram.

Green candidate Isabel Thurston opposes the A27 bypass and also backed the Arundel Alternative.

“We support the Arundel Alternative as a sensible way forward to solve Arundel’s congestion while we move to more reliable and affordable public transport,” she said.

Independent candidate Robert Wheal backs the bypass.