Link Road opponents speak out

They strongly oppose the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road (BHLR) scheme for several reasons:

Alliance spokesman Derrick Coffee said: "By introducing 30,000 vehicles a day where there is currently no traffic at all, it will needlessly sacrifice Combe Haven valley, a tranquil and beautiful asset on the edge of Hastings and Bexhill valued for its landscape and wildlife.

"The road will relieve congestion on Bexhill Road but only by simply shifting traffic to other areas of Hastings.

"It fails completely to address problems of rising traffic levels.

"Worse than this, it will lead to more traffic in the two towns than if it were not built at all. A massive 30,000 vehicles a day accessing and leaving the A259 by London Road, Bexhill, will hardly pass unnoticed by residents over a wide area.

"The BHLR would not make Hastings or Bexhill any more accessible to the wider region, so would be unlikely to attract investment from elsewhere. It might attract local firms to relocate from town centres, meaning that their employees would have further to go to get to work, probably by car."

In a later part of the statement he says: "Between December 2004 and December 2007, the cost has almost doubled from 47 million to 89 million. It is very likely that by now the cost has exceeded 100 million. This represents a huge investment in unsustainable methods of travel at huge environmental cost, and sets the stage for continued land hungry car and road based planning practices.

"To help to inform Bexhill residents of the Hastings Alliance case against the Link Road, and to hear local concerns, there will be a meeting at the Sidley Sports and Social Club, North Road, Sidley, between 7.30 and 9.30 next Tuesday."