VIDEO: Safety fears after Felpham footpath named 'Turkey Way'

Darryl White says sat navs are wrongly directing drivers down the path. Pictures and video: Kate Shemilt

This is Darryl White’s warning to residents after a footpath in his once-quiet neighbourhood became a route for lorries and delivery vans.

Darryl lives in Shirley Drive in Felpham, not far from a new housing estate.

But he says a nearby footpath has recently been renamed ‘Turkey Way’ on sat-nav and lorries are trying to go down it.

Darryl, 54, said: “Every time somebody moves into the new houses there delivery vans come down.

“They park vans on the footpath and leave them running.”

Darryl said the footpath, which runs down the side of his home, has been tarmacked over.

“It was a nice quiet little road. It is just nonsense, enough’s enough.”

Darryl says change is needed to prevent an accident

Despite reporting the issue, Darryl said there has been no action to change the name of the road.

“The problem is day in day out. It’s getting desperate now.”

But it is not just extra noise that is bothering Darryl, he is worried the path is no longer safe because of the vehicles.

Darryl, who works as a technical manager, added: “It is only a matter of time before someone gets hit.

“Someone needs to help us by taking it off the map.”

An Arun District Council spokesman said they are aware of concerns over vehicles trying to use the path. They added: “It is understood some satellite navigation systems identify this path as a highway and delivery drivers taking supplies to the development are directed along here rather than via the A259.

“The path, originally called North Road, now appears on Google as Turkey Way and we have contacted Google who confirmed they are amending the name of the path.”

“The council has worked with the developer who has provided an obstruction across this path to ensure that cars and vans are unable to use this as a cut through.”

Jon Green, managing director at David Wilson Homes, which owns the development, said: “We understand that some sat-navs were leading vehicles to the cycle path that leads through our William’s Gate development.

“We have erected bollards to stop vehicles coming through and displayed signage around the site, directing drivers to the correct route.

“Google has also been contacted regarding the naming of the road and we understand they are on the case to resolve the issue.”