New chairman of South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment appointed

A new chairman has been appointed to the South Coast Alliance for Transport and the Environment (SCATE) East Sussex branch.

Bill Rogers, from Ripe, will lead the sustainable transport umbrella group, as Oliver Harwood moves to Cambridge.

Bill Rogers said: "This will be a busy year for us. Our part of Sussex is under threat from developer-led housing infill on a massive scale, and National Highways is doing just what the big builders desperately need - plotting a £1bn-plus dual carriageway at the foot of the South Downs, funded by our money.

"Residents in Ringmer, Uckfield, Hailsham and Berwick are being encircled by greenfield planning applications for new housing they don't want or need, and local politicians are finally telling national politicians this has to stop, or there'll be consequences in the May elections.

"We have the new Wealden Local Plan to come, and National Highways have started talking to stakeholders - not residents - about options for a new road that's all about speed, not real economic growth. It's as if they haven't heard the world of work has changed for good. This is the time to preserve our landscape and biodiversity through investment in sustainable transport options."

READ MORE:

Lewes Castle asking for community ideas to upcycle flagpole landmark

Lewes District Council leader condemns government’s ‘shameful’ refugee support