Link Road - 'major difference'

Details of the proposed 2,000-job business park for north Bexhill and the 1,100-home development at Worsham were released last week when the Masterplan went out for public consultation.

Observer Comment questioned how the roads were expected to cope with the huge increase in traffic.

This week the Observer put the point to Rother head of planning strategy David Marlow.

He said: "Basically, the Link Road will make a major difference in terms of taking pressure off the roads between the town centre and Hastings.

"We are doing an awful lot on site in terms of facilities such as cycle lanes.

"There are improvements planned to the Wrestwood Road / Ninfield Road / London Road junction which will probably involve traffic signals.

"Consultants have already done a strategic transport assessment.

"There is also likely to be some work on the Little Common roundabout because there will be additional pressure on that..

"The linking pieces are OK. It is the junctions that need some work."

Asked if planners thought that the existing road network could take the additional traffic, Mr Marlow said the impact of the Link Road had been assessed and it was felt that it would significantly ease pressure on existing roads.

Giving Pebsham Lane as an example, he said the studies showed that many people currently using Pebsham Lane would go through the Worsham development and down the development's planned arterial road to get to Wrestwood Road.

Therefore the net impact on Pebsham Lane would be "about nil."