Codswallop

We've been after Highways England for information about its evaluation of schemes to drive a new dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate since August 2018. We've now got some transparency, and a report, by consultants WSP, that is high-level codswallop.

It suggests a new road of up to 16km between Southerham and Copthall, with between 8 and 12 major over-bridges, at a cost of up to £530m could be open by 2030, and save just over 9 minutes per journey by 2045. Attached to this is an utterly bogus Benefit Cost Ratio of between 2.2 to 2.5. It claims it is evident there will be no more investment in rail and bus services.

Here's a paragraph typical of the consultant' balderdash that peppers the 68 pages. Do you think we'll ever see this qualitative assessment and get the name of the people that wrote it ?

"A qualitative assessment of the anticipated environmental impacts of the A27 east of Lewes off-line scheme interventions was undertaken and concluded that there would likely be a large adverse impact on landscape for all interventions, and moderate adverse impacts on noise, historic environment and biodiversity."

And below are the routes they have been considering.