Fresh fears for the link road

Prior to the recent election the Observer reported that a Labour defeat could spell danger for the proposed 100million three mile stretch.

That fear among the road's supporters increased with the recent appointment of Lib Dem eco-champion Norman Baker as junior transport minister.

And this week speculation surrounding the road's future intensified with the news that a 103million scheme to widen a 2.4 mile stretch of the A23 in the west of the county, which had been due to start this summer, had been put on ice.

Newly re-elected Tory MP Greg Barker has set out gaining the green light for the link road as one of his priorities.

Meanwhile a spokesman for an anti-link road lobby group said he was hopeful the new government would pull the plug on the controversial scheme.

Derek Coffee, Campaign for Better Transport East Sussex, said: "The 100million link road could cost up to 20million of East Sussex council taxpayers' money.

"We very much hope that the coalition government will not be prepared to throw in a further 80million of public funds - even more so at this time when important front line services must be protected. Such a disastrous course of action would hit the less well-off who are far less likely to own a car."

David Cameron's government this week announced 6billion of spending cuts in an effort to control the UK's spiralling debt - putting schemes like the link road in jeopardy.