Transport and university a top priority

A UNIVERSITY for Rother and Hastings, fast rail link to London and broadband communications are all part of the £50m package to improve transport facilities and stimulate economic regeneration.

The measures follow the Government s disappointing rejection of the proposed Bexhill and Hastings bypasses during the summer. Cllr Peter Jones, leader of East Sussex County Council told Friday s meeting the proposals provided a coherent plan for building a successful knowledge-based economy similar to that developed in America. When the Government rejected the bypass it asked County Hall to come up with imaginative alternative schemes to address transport and regeneration issues. Joint working parties with Rother District Council and SEEDA identified four key elements.

1. A new relief road from central Bexhill, via Sidley, following part of the old railway line to Queensway and linking to the A21. This would cost around 12m from the county s Local Transport Plan budget. It would not across any environmentally sensitive areas.

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2. A new parkway-type railway station at Wilting Farm, just south of Crowhurst, on Hastings Borough Council-owned land. The county was looking to Govia to run a high-speed rail service from here to London. The station would have rail and bus services to the two towns.

3. A university or institute of technology near the parkway station with an associated business and science park and housing, possibly at Worsham Farm, Sidley.

4. Broadband linkage for the Rother and Hastings area as part of a new south coast development. SEEDA was working to try to establish broadband cabling along the coast which allows fast, extensive access to the internet for businesses, schools and hospitals.

The county will provide up to a quarter of the total package, which is half the cost of the cancelled bypass.