Media coverage

ESCC switches funds to cover road overruns. Hastings Online Times 25 February 2018

Campaigners slam ‘soaring’ cost of Hastings and Bexhill road schemes. Hastings Observer 16 February 2018

Combe Haven Defenders blast St Leonards business park development. Hastings Observer 15 December 2017

First units for business park but still no jobs. Hastings Online Times November 17 2017

Fully unedited report on Bexhill Hastings Link Road’s ‘major risks’ published. Hastings Observer, 19 January 2017

Behind the scenes at the Link Road. Hastings Online Times, 18 January 2017

Campaigners slam fifth Bexhill Hastings link road cost rise. Hastings Observer, 11 January 2017

2016

Hastings campaigners urge action on air pollution. Hastings Observer, 8 December 2016

‘No more public money’ for controversial Bexhill road. Bexhill Observer, 4 November 2016

Transparency questions after ‘heavily censored’ Link Road review Hastings Observer 21 October 2016

Rother District Council to buy land to make way for controversial Bexhill road Bexhill Observer 7 September 2016

Air pollution concerns near controversial St Leonards road, Hastings Observer, 2 September 2016

Petition launched to halt road construction due to excessive air pollution levels Hastings Online Times, 24 August 2016

Drawn to Witness Hastings Online Times, 6 May 2016

Protesters dig up bluebells in act of ‘civil disobedience’, Hastings Observer, 8 April 2016

Judicial review on Queensway Gateway Road permission turned down by High Court Hastings Observer 8 April 2016

Petition to bar further public funding for NBAR Hastings Online Times, 6 April 2016

Another legal challenge against Gateway road Hastings Observer, 22 March 2016

Second legal challenge is mounted against Queensway Gateway road go-ahead Hastings Online Times, 2 March 2016

Loss of solar industry jobs Hastings Online Times, 2 March 2016

Second legal bid to stop Gateway road Hastings Observer, 1 March 2016

MP hails ‘best ever’ Hastings jobs fair despite protests Hastings Observer, 1 March 2016

Campaigners ambush Amber Rudd at Hastings jobs fair Hastings Observer, 26 February 2016

Controversial link road now costs £100m more than original estimates Brighton Argus, 23 February 2016

Valentine’s Day protest over North Bexhill Access Road Bexhill Observer, 15 February 2016

‘Premature’ Bexhill access road approved Bexhill Observer, 11 February 2016

Show your love for the countryside and say NO to the North Bexhill Access Road Hastings Online Times 9 February 2016

£16m funding for North Bexhill Access Road set to be approved Bexhill Observer, 4 February 2016

Dormice prompt criticism of QGR work Hastings Online Times 25 January 2016

North Bexhill Access Road decision delayed – again Bexhill Observer, 20 January 2016

Road go-ahead a flawed decision, say opponents Hastings Online Times, 7 January 2016

Flooding hits new link road Hastings Observer, 5 January 2016

2015

Voting for Gateway road ‘most difficult decision in twenty years’ Hastings Observer, 30 December 2015

Hastings Bexhill £120m link road opens amid protests BBC Sussex, 17 December 2015

Bexhill Hastings Link Road opens Bexhill Observer, 17 December 2015

Bexhill Hastings Link Road ready for traffic Bexhill Observer, 16 December 2015

Bexhill Observer 16 Dec 2015

Second approval for controversial Hastings road at emotional meeting Hastings Observer, 16 December 2015

Council planners vote for Queensway Gateway Hastings Online Times, 16 December 2015

Decision on Queensway Gateway road on Tuesday Hastings Observer, 14 December 2015

New hearing for Queensway Gateway Road Hastings Online Times, 6 December 2015

Queensway Gateway road’s future to be decided Hastings Observer, 2 December 2015

Will road bid go back to court? Hastings Observer, 9 October 2015

Campaigners camp on Queensway Hastings Online Times, 16 September 2015

Protest camp against proposed Queensway Gateway road Hastings Observer, 14 September 2015

Council accused over Bexhill to Hastings link road terms BBC Sussex, 1 September 2015

Hastings road submitted to Museum of Useless Objects Hastings Observer 11 August 2015

Protest over Queensway Gateway road in St Leonards Hastings Observer 27 July

Defending Hollington Valley? Don’t even think of talking to the man who’s destroying it Ecologist, 20 July 2015

Combe Haven Defenders protest in St Leonards Hastings Observer 8 July 2015

Council go-ahead for controversial road quashed Hastings Online Times, 24 June 2015

Hastings road permission quashed by council ahead of court hearing Planning Resource, 23 June 2015

Future of £15m road scheme uncertain after council admits mistake Brighton Argus, 22 June 2015

Planning permission for Queensway Gateway Road withdrawn Hastings Observer, 22 June 2015

Hastings Observer 26 June 2015

Judicial review into Queensway Gateway road Hastings Observer, 15 June 2015

High Court date confirmed for resident’s challenge to £15m road project Brighton Argus, 15 June 2015

Controversial link road still not complete – with no date set to open ITV Meridian, 19 May 2015

Work to stop on £15m road project for duration of legal challenge Brighton Argus, 29 April 2015

Work on Queensway Gateway road in St Leonards [to be stopped] Hastings Observer, 29 April 2015

Legal challenge launched over Gateway road Hastings Observer, 17 April 2015

Legal challenge launched over Gateway road Sussex Express, 17 April 2015

QGR tree-felling signals ‘need for real change’ Hastings Online Times, 28 March 2015

Protestors object to felling of trees on Gateway site, Hastings Observer, 13 March 2015

HBC gives new gateway road the go-ahead Hastings Observer, 6 February 2015

Still no date for road opening say protesters Bexhill Observer, 6 February 2015

Hundreds object to new Gateway plans Hastings Observer, 1 February 2015

Still no date for road opening say protesters Rye and Battle Observer, 30 January 2015

Controversial road to get an extra £2.9m Brighton Argus, 30 January 2015

So when will the Link Road be ready? Bexhill Observer, 16 January 2015

2014

Link Road will not open on time, Bexhill Observer, 5 December 2014

Controversial Bexhill to Hastings Link Road suffers setback, Brighton Argus, 4 December 2014

Private Eye piece on Glover’s Farm fire, 28 Novermber 2014

Dozens object to gateway plans, Hastings Observer, 31 October 2014

Damage to historic farm building on business site, Bexhill Observer, 10 October 2014

Cleared protesters’ trial ‘a waste of public money’, Battle Observer, 14 March 2014

Link Road cash “should be spent on floods”, Bexhill Observer, 21 February 2014

Many link road protestors found not guilty, Bexhill Observer, 31 January 2014

Link Road protestors’ New Year Day dance demonstration, 3 January 2014

2013

Combe Haven road protest film released, Rye and Battle Observer, 15 November 2013

Road protestor gets conditional discharge, 13 September 2013

Trial of Link Road protestors begin, Rye and Battle Observer, 6 September 2013

Roads protester accused of obstructing highway, ITV Meridian, 2 Sept 2013

Protesters warn against new road plans, Independent on Sunday, 14 July 2013

(don’t be too alarmed: second to last paragraph presumably means 52,000 square metres, not miles – although that’s bad enough…)

Anti-road rally in Crowhurst, Rye and Battle Observer, 14 July 2013

Cost of Hastings to Bexhill Link Road set to rise by £13m, Brighton Argus, 6 July 2013

Bexhill to Hastings Link Road costs rise by £13m, BBC Sussex, 5 July 2013

Anti-carriageway protesters build road next to MP’s house. Knutsford Guardian, 30 June 2013

Campaigners take fight to Osborne’s home, Hastings Observer, 28 June 2013

Campaigners build 50m dual-carriageway in George Osborne’s back garden, The Argus, 24 June 2013

Cash for houses and roads to sweeten cuts of £11.5bn, The Times, 24 June 2013

argus gateway article
Link Road protestors threaten fresh action, The Argus, 24 May 2013

Link Road will cause gridlock say protestors, Battle Observer, 24 May 2013

Locals oppose plans for a new road in Sussex, ITV Meridian, 22 May 2013 [about the ‘Gateway road’]

Link Road alternative not fully investigated, Hastings Observer, 13 May 2013

Released Information, Hastings Observer, 10 May 2013 [editorial: “what is revealed is that plans were rushed through without proper thought … One would have thought the DfT would have nothing to hide from the public when making recommendations to ministers on whether or not to fund such a major project, however now it becomes clear that uncertainties are what they were trying to hide.”]

George Osborne digs himself a hole: ‘Uneconomical’ roads to get go-ahead, Independent on Sunday, 6 May 2013 (Mostly about the BHLR, which is cited as a ‘vivid example’ of George Osborne’s ‘pushing ahead with a massive nationwide road-building programme despite high-level concerns from ministers and Department for Transport (DfT) officials that there is little evidence it will boost the economy.’ Quite a bit about the (formerly) secret Link Road docs.)

Transport Minister lobbied over controversial road, ITV Meridian, 4 March 2013

Protesters demand full disclosure of DfT advice on link road, Guardian, 3 March 2013

Bexhill to Hastings protesters return to hedge their bets, Argus, 21 February 2013

Tree protesters set up another camp, ITV Meridian, 21 February 2013

Trees of Combe Haven return from the grave, Ecologist, 13 February 2013

Protesters angry over new road Meridian News, 12 February 2013

Protests as East Sussex council agrees £60m cuts BBC Sussex, 12 February 2013

Bexhill to Hastings roadworks continue despite lack of funds Brighton Argus, 4 February 2013

The battle against the bulldozers goes on, says Hynde’s daughter Independent, 4 February 2013

Bexhill-to-Hastings road protesters finally brought down BBC Sussex, 30 January 2013

Rock Star Chrissie Hynde’s Daughter Natalie in Tree Protest Arrest International Business Times, 30 January 2013

The moment Chrissie Hynde’s daughter was arrested at ‘Battle of Hastings’ protest camp after bailiffs cut her down from treehouse, Daily Mail, 29 January 2013

Bexhill to Hastings road: Protest site evictions resume, BBC Sussex, 28 January 2013

Eviction begins at final Bexhill-to-Hastings road protest camp, Guardian, 28 January 2013

Eco leaders join Bexhill to Hastings road action plan, The Argus (Brighton), 28 January 2013

Battle rages on over Combe Haven, ITV Meridian, 26 January 2013

Bexhill road protest is about putting the environment on the right side of the ledger, Guardian.co.uk, 25 January 2013 [Environment blog piece by John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK]

Your Interview – Sitting Bull, Bexhill to Hastings link road protester, The Argus, 25 January 2013

Last camp standing at Combe Haven, New Internationalist blog, 25 January 2013

Bexhill-to-Hastings road protesters ’caused year’s delay’, BBC News Sussex, 25 January 2013 [strange piece that doesn’t substantiate the claim in the headline – too early to count those chickens yet folks!]

From the local Observer newspapers, 25 January 2013:

From the Rye & Battle Observer, 25 January 2013

Bexhill road protest is about putting the environment on the right side of the ledger, Guardian.co.uk, 25 January 2014 [Guardian environment blog by John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace UK]

Chrissie Hynde’s daughter is the new public face of UK road protests, Guardian, 23 January 2013

‘They have got more manpower, but we have got guerilla tactics’, Times, 23 January 2013

Dedicated follower of passion: Daughter of Pretenders star Chrissie Hynde and The Kinks’ Ray Davies joins new generation of ‘swampies’ in treetop by-pass protest, Daily Mail, 21 January 2013

The Granny Swampies: Remember those anarchic, tree dwelling protestors? Well, there’s a new generation – only now they bring their knitting, Daily Mail, 19 January 2013

[VIDEO] Bexhill-to-Hastings road protesters’ last stand against eviction, Guardian.co.uk, 18 January 2013. Wonderful short film about the eviction of “Base Camp” by Laurence Topham.

Road-building protesters score first victory in the second battle of Hastings, Guardian.co.uk, 18th January 2013 (Environment blog piece by Green MEP Keith Taylor)

Centre spread in the Hastings & St Leonards Observer, 18 January 2013:

Letter to the Brighton Argus, 18 January 2013:

Hastings to Bexhill link road protesters say they will be back following eviction, The Argus, 18 January 2013

Sitting Bull Removed from Tunnel, Hastings Observer, 18 January 2013

‘Battle of Hastings’ demo digs in, Littlehampton Gazette, 18 January 2013

Eco-activist allowed to leave protest tunnel as temperatures plummet, Guardian, 17 January 2013

Full report: The end of the road, ITV Meridian, 17 January 2013

Bexhill-to-Hastings road protester let back in tunnel, BBC, 17 January 2012

Bailiffs clear all protesters from Hastings link road site, This is Sussex, 17 January 2013

Police move in to evict Combe Haven Defenders protestors from Base Camp Bexhill Observer, 17 January 2013

Photo gallery: Protestors evicted. Bexhill Observer, 17 January 2013

Why I joined the second Battle of Hastings, Tom Druitt (campaigner’s perspective), New Internationalist blog, 16 January 2013

Bexhill to Hastings road: Bailiffs evict road protesters, BBC, 16 January 2013

[VIDEO] Bailiffs gather at Bexhill to Hastings road protest site, BBC, 16 January 2013

In pictures: Bexhill to Hastings link road protesters evicted, BBC, 16 January 2013

400-year-old trees are felled to make way for new road in Hastings, The Argus, 16 January 2013

Pictures of the Day – Bexhill Protest, 16 January 2013 (Scroll down)

Bexhill to Hastings link road activists ‘to resist eviction’, BBC, 15 January 2013

Protesters vow to prevent new road, Belfast Telegraph, 15 January 2013

Protesters vow to prevent new road, Express and Star, 15 January 2013

Protesters fight ‘second battle of Hastings’ – special report, ITV Meridian news, 14 January 2013

Why I chose to join the fight against the link road, Campaign for Better Transport, 14 January 2013

Minister for Climate Change backs new roads in own constituency, PostMag.org, 14 January 2013

The One Show, BBC 1

14 January 2013

The running battle brewing in 1066 country, Daily Telegraph, 14 January 2013 [Comment piece by former Telegraph editor Charles Moore: “As I write, angry grandmothers are tying themselves up in the branches of trees, attempting to prevent the advance guard of chainsaws which precede the Norman cavalry, otherwise known as the road-builders. Combe Haven valley is just inland from Bulverhythe. If Mr Austin and Mr Grehan are right, that William did, indeed, land at Bulverhythe and camped at Upper Wilting Farm on the hill above, then the new road threatens the Norman site. If Mr Austin is correct, that the battle took place at Crowhurst, then the entire site from coast to village becomes semi-sacred. The anti-link campaigners would then be able to stop the road, at least until everything had been properly excavated.”]

The new weapon in the battle for Hastings: the granny tree, Daily Telegraph, 12 January 2013

Road protests return: a new generation takes on the bypass builders, The Guardian, 12 January 2013

Cutting down a tree is worse than fox hunting, Times, 12 January 2013

Middle-class protesters who stopped bulldozers creating new Hastings bypass arrested, Daily Telegraph, 11 January 2013

Bailiffs and environmentalists prepare for the ‘Second Battle of Hastings’ as Sitting Bull leads new generation of ‘Swampy’ road protesters, Daily Mail, 11 January 2013

Fresh wave of link road protests, Hastings & St Leonards Observer, 11 January 2013

Link Road protest reaches new heights, Battle Observer, 11 January 2013 [NB This piece uncritically reproduces the police claims that: (a) they were forced to shut the road (they weren’t); and (b) makes unfounded assertions about the employment status of those arrested.]

BBC Today programme, BBC Radio 4, 10 January 2013. Two five min slots: “Roger Harrabin with the new swampies” [starts around 7.21am]; and debate between the Campaign for Better Transport’s Stephen Joseph and Adam Marshall from the British Chambers of Commerce [starts around 8.42am]. Should be available on to “listen again” to for several days through this link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/default.stm

Road scheme protesters ‘to lose’, BBC News, 10 January 2013.Wide-ranging piece with an unfortunate title. Among other things, BBC Environment Analyst Roger Harrabin highlights the redacted DfT recommendations, and challenges ESCC leader Peter Jones’ fast-and-loose approach to the figures for jobs that will allegedly be generated by the Road.

Special Report: Underground with Hastings to Bexhill road protesters, Argus, 10 January 2013

Centre spread from today’s (10 Jan) Brighton Argus

Back to work on the BHLR, Hastings Online Times, 9 January 2013

Protesters halt new £94m Bexhill to Hastings link road, Argus, 9 January 2013

Battle of Hastings continues into 2013, LocalGov.co.uk, 9 January 2013

Protestors attempt to block Bexhill Hasting link road, New Civil Engineer, 9 January 2013

Picture Gallery: Link Road Protesters, Hastings Observer, 9 January 2013

Bexhill to Hastings link road: Three protesters charged, BBC, 9 January 2013

Protesters halt work on £100m Hochtief/Vinci link road, Construction Enquirer, 9 January 2013

Protestor up telegraph pole closes road, Hastings Observer, 9 January 2013 [Note: The claims about the arrestees employment status appear to originate with the police. In our experience the police label anyone who refuses to disclose their employment status to the police – which the latter have no right to demand – as “unemployed”. Likewise, the police appear to have closed the road to cause disruption which they could then blame on protesters, as the pole was reportedly well away from the road.]

Link Road Work Resumes, Hastings Observer, 8 January

Bexhill Street Blues, SchNews, 7 January 2013

Road protesters go below ground in the ‘second battle of Hastings’, Guardian, 7 January 2013

Has Council increased Link Road spend?, Rye & Battle Observer, 5 January 2013

The battle for Combe Haven The Ecologist, 4 January 2013