Protesters against construction of the Bexhill to Hastings link road in East Sussex have taken their fight to the Department for Transport’s offices in London. They are asking to see unpublished documents which they claim shows the Department had recommended not to provide funding to the scheme but it was over ruled by the Treasury.

"We believe the public has a right to see the DfT's recommendations about the use of £57M of public money to fund the environmentally disastrous Bexhill to Hastings link road,” said Patrick Nicholson from the campaign group Operation Disclosure. “The DfT warned of a significant risk that this road will deliver low value for money. The fact that it has chosen to hunker down rather than release these crucial documents is more evidence that it actually recommended against funding the project, but was forced by the Treasury to release the money.”

Information provided under a Freedom of Information request shows that a Department official had written to Transport Minister Norman Baker last year to say that the scheme “is likely to offer either low or medium value for money”.

A spokesman for the Combe Haven Defenders protest group outside the DfT offices said it is no doubt that the unpublished documents exist. Several protesters had been ejected from the building in an effort to locate the report and one was arrested on Monday.

A DfT spokeswoman said the Department has nothing to add following its statement last week when final approval for the 6km road was granted by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin. Government will provide £57M towards the full scheme cost of £92M.

(Photo: Combe Haven Defenders)

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