Coastal link road one step closer

The council said the link road would help create 2,000 jobs

Transport bosses have given their backing to an £89m link road between two Sussex coastal towns.

The South East England Regional (Seera) transport board said the Hastings to Bexhill link road would boost the local economy and the environment.

The board had to review the project's benefits and budgets after the cost of the road increased from £46m to £89m.

Campaigners claim the carriageway would pass within metres of a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Seera said a large part of the cost increase covered the extra work that would now be undertaken to conserve the environment during and after construction.

Chairman of the Transport Board, councillor Nick Skellett, said: "After 10 years in the pipeline, we are pleased to confirm our support for the new link road which will greatly benefit local business and residents.

"We only have a limited budget for the South East but we see this project as a priority to boost local economy and benefit the environment."

The board will now advise the government that the road should still go-ahead.

Transport 2000 and environmental groups have written to the government calling for the scheme to be re-assessed, claiming other alternatives were not fully considered.