Protesters climbing trees and chaining themselves to vehicles are stalling progress on the £86M Bexhill to Hastings link road in East Sussex.

Around 60 people allied to a group calling itself the Combe Haven Defenders moved onto a site on Friday after contractors clearing the 5km route tried to fell trees near the village of Crowhurst.

The group maintains its protests are peaceful and Sussex Police has said it will only intervene if there is a breach of the peace or a criminal offence is committed. Two protesters were arrested on Saturday.

East Sussex County Council leader Peter Jones remains confident that construction of the new road will begin in the New Year and says the project is crucial to local regeneration. “It will bring real benefits to Hastings and Bexhill including better access to jobs, fewer cars using roads that aren’t suitable for them and opportunities for housing and business development.”

Mr Jones added that delays caused by protestors have already increased the cost of the project by £4.5M “at a time when we are having to make £60M of cuts to our budget over the next three years.” East Sussex’s contribution to the project is around £29M.

A spokesman for Combe Haven Defenders said the protests aimed to draw attention to “the 190 new road projects planned by Government” and that several “seasoned road protestors” were coming to site. 

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