New road links for the Port of Newhaven

 The DfT has pledged £10m towards improving road links to the Port of Newhaven, East Sussex.

The scheme is designed to move HGVs away from using unsuitable local roads, while also supporting Newhaven Port’s role in transporting goods both internationally and around the UK and to help support the local economy.

A new cycleway and path will be built alongside the new road.

The £23m project will allow direct access into the East Quay area of Newhaven Port, and will help create 436 jobs — indirectly supporting a further 1,430 — around Newhaven.

East Sussex County Council will provide the remaining £13m of funding.

The new links will take HGVs away from Railway Road and Beach Road, which are unsuitable for such heavy vehicles and will also support Newhaven enterprise zone through the unlocking of an additional 80,000 square metres of business space.

The work represents the second phase of the road improvements after the first section was completed in 2015. It will see a 650-metre road built between the Pargut roundabout and the proposed port roundabout. It will also include a new 122 metre-long bridge over the Newhaven-Seaford branch line and Mill Creek Canal.

Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “This scheme will reduce the number of lorries on currently busy local roads — making life easier for others using the roads.

“The new access road will create hundreds of new jobs, while also supporting the Newhaven enterprise zone, further boosting the local economy.”

Rupert Simmons, East Sussex County Council lead member for economy, said: “The road will create a direct access to the East Quay and is a key part of our plan for the economic regeneration of Newhaven. It will be a catalyst for growth and for the creation of much-needed jobs for people in Newhaven and the surrounding area.”

The works are due to start next month and are due to be completed by February 2020.

The Newhaven scheme was included in the department’s port connectivity study, which has shown that better connections to English ports could help businesses thrive and boost the nation’s economy.