ESCC document Transportation of Waste and Materials produced by the Waste and Minerals Planning Policy Team tells us a lot about the inadequacies of the road infrastructure in East Sussex

Comments such as:

• '.. Transportation of freight by road within the County and Brighton & Hove can pose difficulties due to its sub-standard design ..'

• '.. Several sections of the trunk roads within East Sussex are of sub-standard design ..'

• '.. Congestion on the strategic trunk road network in East Sussex and Brighton & Hove may lead to some freight traffic finding alternative routes. These routes tend to be minor or even unclassified roads which may be unsuitable for heavy vehicles ..'

Hardly reconcile with the following statement:

Policy W17: Location of Waste Management Facilities “The suitability of existing sites and potential new sites should be assessed on the basis of…good accessibility from existing urban areas or major new or planned development; good transport connections including, where possible, rail or water…”

With all the above points in mind ESCC still proposes to transport waste around the county to outlying land raise sites over roads that are inadequate and over-crowded.  Surely this is an ill considered solution which does not even adhere to the standards outlined by ESCC themselves?

Questions:

• Has ESCC taken account of the contents of this report. By even the most optimistic standards it demonstrates that the road infrastucture in East Sussex is inadeqate to service the proposed land raise sites

• Has ESCC taken account of the air quality issues raised in the report - s2.13 '.. Air quality is linked to road congestion ..'

• ESCC cannot meet the requirements of Policy WLP2: Transport Strategy - Proposals will be required to demonstrate that:
  • the proposal facility is located as closely as practicable to the sources of waste that will be managed by it;
  • access and use by modes of transport other than road have been considered and, if not proposed, why it would not be practicable; and
  • if road transport is to be used, the proposal is located and designed to minimise the length and number of road traffic movements and the proposal will comply with Policy WLP36.

Furthermore, how can ESCC reconcile its current land raise proposals with the following statement

The East Sussex LTP2 Vision is “to make East Sussex a thriving County where every resident enjoys an enhanced quality of life with improved travel choice and access to employment opportunities and local facilities; safer and healthier communities and a cleaner environment that is valued, protected and improved for future generations”.