The £95,000 speed management scheme follows several serious accidents in recent years, including two fatalities.

Various measures will now be put in place between Brighton Road's junction with South Street, Lancing, and the junction with the A283 Old Shoreham Road and High Street, Shoreham.

These include dropping the 40mph speed limit to 30mph, improving street-lighting at the Saltings roundabout, Shoreham, creating dedicated parking bays on both the east and westbound carriageways.

Figures from West Sussex County Council, which is responsible for highways, show there were 41 accidents involving injuries on the stretch of road in the three years to the end of December, 2007.

These included four people suffering serious injuries as well as 46 people suffering slight injuries, and two fatalities.

In February, 2006, 30-year-old Michelle Dever, who worked as a dental nurse in Shoreham, was knocked down and killed in a hit and run accident as she crossed Brighton Road, Lancing, to reach her home.

Just days later, Shoreham Beach resident Wendy Seabrook, 50, died after she was involved in a collision with a car near the Coach and Horses pub.

Lancing Parish Council chairman Angie Mills said she was delighted work was going ahead to improve safety along the road.

"I hope it will stop the speeding. We have been pushing for something like this for a long time. I think it's a good thing and I am really pleased about it."

The work is expected to take six weeks, weather permitting, and will be carried out between 9.30am and 4.30pm to avoid disrupting rush-hour traffic.

Concerned Brighton Road resident Keith Matten told the Herald this week he agreed something needed to be done about the road, but was unsure if the plans would work.

He said: "It will never stop the speeding down here. At the dead of night, especially in the summer when there's no wind about, I can lie in bed and hear cars coming from Worthing and Shoreham, doing at least 60 or 70mph."

Mr Matten said he doubted speed cameras were the answer either and that, for residents, it would be a case of waiting to see if a lower speed limit would lead to fewer accidents.

"We all know what happens with speed cameras – people slow down for 50 yards and then speed up again," he said.

"The statistics do show that dropping the speed limit to 30mph eliminates people getting killed completely in some areas. We just have to watch this space."

Lieutenant Colonel Tex Pemberton, county council cabinet member for highways, said: "Regrettably there have been two pedestrian fatalities along this length of the A259. Similar schemes have been very successful in reducing accidents and I am sure this will also be the case in this location."