We need more cash for public transport

Pro-road campaigners are hailing the Secretary of State's refusal to call in the application for the road as a transportation and economic breakthrough for the town.

Rother District Council hopes the road will bring new lifeblood into Bexhill '“ committing 3.5m to creating a business park at Sidley Goods Yard, which is right next door to the proposed route.

This would create 1,600 square metres of space for workshops, plus an 'incubator' building of 20 lettable rooms for those wishing to start up their own business. The idea behind this is as a business expands, it can move on from Sidley Goods Yard into bigger premises, leaving the room free for another entrepreneur.

For such a scheme to become a success, good transport links are important. The new Link Road would provide that '“ and many would agree that such investment in Bexhill's new businesses is essential.

Then there are those who live along the A259 and daily witness long tailbacks of traffic. Many of these residents '“ especially those who drive to Hastings to work '“ hope the new road will ease congestion.

Yet, as with most issues on this scale, there is the other side of the coin. In Bexhill itself, homeowners and businesses are facing Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) to free up space for the building of the new road.

Especially in these hard economic times, it is tough to be expected to move out of a home or be uprooted from a livelihood. Some in London Road have had the possibility of CPOs hanging over them for 30 years.

And then there's the effect on the environment. Many anti-road campaigners are concerned about the impact of the Link Road on Combe Haven Valley. This is a tranquil part of the district where walkers, cyclists and horse riders enjoy the countryside. Some farmers are facing Compulsory Purchase Orders on parts of their land so the Link Road can be built.

More general environmental arguments exist against the road '“ greater increase in car use and carbon emissions, and not enough reliance on public transport.

The problem with the public transport argument is that there is never enough investment in providing good, reliable bus services or rail links. Whether the Link Road is eventually built or not, more to improve public transport certainly needs to be done.