A town which has been waiting almost 40 years for a solution to its traffic congestion problems will not see any improvement in the near future.

Worthing has been waiting 39 years for a bypass to be built to ease the congestion on the A27.

It came sixth in a list of the ten most delayed road schemes in the UK in a list drawn up by Road Users' Alliance, which includes the RAC Foundation, the British Chambers of Commerce and the British Horse Society.

There have been many options mooted to improve the A27 between Worthing, Arundel and Chichester but none has been deemed satisfactory. A bypass has caused concern because it would be built through an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Councillor Tex Pemberton, West Sussex County Council member for highways and transport, said: "I am hoping we are not going to have to wait too much longer.

"There is a Highways Agency report which we have worked on with them which is going before the minister to make recommendations.

"The Highways Agency has made new submissions to the Regional Transport Board which will be considered by the board on October 27. At that meeting they will be looking at recommendations for investments in the South East for 2011 to 2016. I am desperately hoping Worthing will be recommended.

"It has taken so long to improve the road because of changing government priorities and funding streams.

"We cannot go on with the road being as it is. We have to have a solution which will satisfy all of us and there will have to be compromise.

"But we do have to improve the situation as it is having a severe impact on regeneration, businesses, jobs and investment in the area and it has an impact on people's quality of life. I will be continuing to press the Highways Agency about this."

Tim Green, director of the Road Users' Alliance, said: "The political will to view Worthing's needs as a priority and allocate the necessary government funding is all that is needed to resolve the problem.

"Today, roads can be engineered to harmonise with the environment and allowing traffic to flow freely dramatically reduces emissions, so environmental objections really don't stack up.

"Traffic has increased 550 per cent nationwide in the past 50 years and it doesn't make sense that the lack of this relatively modest project is depriving residents of personal mobility, accepted safety standards and business opportunities."

Coun Pemberton said there had been a number of options mooted such as a tunnel, bypass and improving the junctions over and under the A27.

But a spokesman at the Highways Agency said there had not been any specific plans drawn up for the A27 between Worthing and Chichester.

He said: "The bypass was suggested in the South Coast Multiple Model Study in 2003 but it was rejected by ministers in the same year on grounds of the environmental impact.

"We are working with West Sussex County Council to come up with some other solutions."

l Improvement works at the A27 junction with the A2270 in Polegate will start on Monday, September 18, and last for four weeks.

A new traffic light system is being installed to improve the flow of traffic at the junction. The lights will be linked to detectors in the road which recognise the presence of cars.

The lights are linked to each other and will turn green as traffic approaches from the previous set of lights.

During the day the works will take place between 9.30am and 4pm and overnight they will take place between 7.30pm and 5am.

Single lane closures will be needed at certain points during the duration of the works, which will be signed in advance. To provide a safe working area narrow running lanes will be in operation and temporary traffic lights will be in operation at different locations throughout the works.