Bexhill bypass puts road building back in the spotlight

Combe Haven Valley has been described as one of the finest undeveloped river valleys in the South-East. 'It experiences almost no traffic, [and] it is an exceptionally tranquil oasis in one of England's busiest regions,' according to one environmentalist. This is the type of outstanding landscape in the firing line thanks to the Coalition Government’s current road building policy, despite the hiatus which followed the nineties boom.

In this particular case, as Dominic Franklin, a veteran of the 90s' road protests says; the proposed Bexhill Bypass, 'would have a major impact on two sites of special scientific interest [Combe Haven and Marline Valley], in terms of habitat severance, disruption of hydrology, loss of ancient woodland, and disturbance to wetland bird populations [including lapwings and redshanks] and protected species like dormice.'

But before we look at national policy, it’s worth considering the arguments for and against this £95 million scheme as it does exemplify the issue and illustrate what's at stake. Tory MP for Hastings & Rye, Amber Rudd, and East Sussex County Council [ESCC] leader, Peter Jones, both claim the road is an essential part of regeneration strategy...

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