Link road future in doubt

It was announced this week that the £100million scheme would go head to head with 21 other similar projects to compete for a share of £600million in government funding.

And, with the three-mile stretch estimated to cost one sixth of the total cash available, the chances of the road not going ahead are increasing.

The transport minister Philip Hammond published the list of competing schemes earlier this week after re-assessing the viability of a host of projects already earmarked for funding by the previous government.

And the link road now finds itself up against transport plans for much larger towns and cities, including Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and Nottingham - with a decision not made until the end of next year.

However Bexhill MP Greg Barker was confident that the scheme would eventually be approved.

He said: “It’s a big relief that the link road has survived Labour’s deficit.

“Despite the cuts that were forced on us last week by the debt crisis, the link road is very much alive and kicking, albeit delayed by another year.

“I will be working hard in the coming months to make sure we still deliver this project to our community.”

Cllr Carl Maynard, leader of Rother District Council, expressed disappointment but echoed Mr Barker’s optimism.

He said: “We are disappointed that a decision on the link road has been delayed yet again.

“However, the positive message is that the scheme has not been scrapped, although further analysis is required by Government.

“We will work closely with our colleagues at East Sussex County Council and offer what assistance we can in helping them to deliver this scheme, which we believe is vital to the regeneration and long-term prosperity of Rother district and the wider area.”

Whether new funding streams can be opened up is debatable. Rother District Council is tightening its belt and facing a funding cut, while East Sussex County Council has already having contributed £12million to the scheme.

The head of the county authority said it would be “looking to see how we can fund this vital piece of infrastructure in a different way” but admitted this week’s news was a hammer blow.

Cllr Peter Jones told the Observer: “This is not just a road; this is about regeneration and prosperity.

“More than £300million of investment has already gone into the area and the link road is absolutely central to its future economic development.

“It will bring real benefits to residents and businesses, providing access to new business space, creating jobs and helping companies thrive.”

And it was a sentiment shared by the local businesses community. Mark Froud, chief executive of Sussex Enterprise, said: “Regeneration of the area can only be truly effective if the transport infrastructure is in place.

“Without a link road, we won’t see new business parks opening up, we won’t see inward investment, and we won’t see the growth the area sorely needs.”

One group buoyed by the announcement was the anti-road lobbyists who had for so long fought the plans.

Speaking for the Hastings Alliance, Nick Bingham said: “The link road would lock us into an unsustainable car-dependent future and outmoded models of development that belong to the 1960s.

“We can and must do better than that and upgrade and increase our investment in sustainable transport accessible to all sections of society.”