You couldn't make it up

Maria Caulfield, MP for Lewes, is delighted to let us know that she has signed a letter to the Prime Minister calling on the Government to adopt a legally binding net zero emissions target by 2020 (I think she means 2050) in line with the Paris Agreements. This is the same Maria Caulfield who chairs the A27 Reference Group, still campaigning for a new dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate, which will more than double pollution across the Low Weald, at a cost of £650m.

To accompany her message, she chooses a windswept portrait on the South Downs, with unspoilt East Sussex countryside as a background with a message.

Champagne

Here's Rupert Clubb again, championing the environment, action against climate change, bio-diversity, business, the economy and growth. Come to Sussex, and I'll build you roads for those vital journeys between Southampton and Dover, eh, Roop ?

We're at #Best4Biz, with Rupert Clubb, Director of Economy and Transport @EastSussexCC kicking off the events, talking about responsibility about valuing economic growth alongside the uniqueness of East Sussex pic.twitter.com/YOmw44MQ8w

— Locate East Sussex (@LocateESussex) May 17, 2019

Covered with Tarmac

Rupert Clubb may not have noticed that there's a live debate across the UK (and certainly in East Sussex) as to whether or not 'growth, growth, growth' is the right way forward. By my calculations, after 10 years of "50%" more growth than forecast, our county will be simply packed with roads, by-passing the failed by-passes of the previous ten years.

“With the right transport infrastructure in place to support a high-growth future, we’ve identified the South East economy could grow by 50% more than currently forecast.”

Rupert Clubb, TfSE lead officer #DrivingEconomicGrowth @CIHTUK @WSP_UK pic.twitter.com/W3fnWKt3ye

— TfSE (@TransportfSE) March 21, 2019

Careful

Some stats from January 2018 to January 2019

Collisions along the A27 between the Falmer and Southerham junctions - a 4.6m stretch of dual carriageway - 20, of which six were deemed serious.

Collisions along the A27 between the Southerham junction and the first lights at Polegate - a 10.4m stretch, mainly single carriageway - 32, of which five were deemed serious.

Explain to me again how a new dual carriageway would reduce accidents....

By the way...

Today saw the announcement of funding for more than 100 railway stations across the country to deliver step-free access. Only one station in East Sussex got the investment this time - Crowborough, which just happens to be in the Wealden constituency of Nus Ghani, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.

Rupert's Way

Busy council official and transport thought-leader Rupert Clubb has set out a personal manifesto for his all-new quango, Transport for the South-East.

"In the first few months of this year I’ve spent a significant portion of my time talking to stakeholders – politicians, transport operators, business leaders, sometimes journalists – about Transport for the South East."    Anything missing from that list, Rupert.  Think hard.

NO PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The Department of Transport is still refusing to release the business case for an offline dual carriageway between Lewes and Polegate - but has now issued the scope that Highways England gave to consultants back in 2017.

Insiders have told us that this was a "quick and dirty job", and it's crystal clear that corners were cut in the six month study. No other forms of transport - rail, bus, trams, cycling - were to be part of the calculations; and there would NO PUBLIC CONSULTATION. This is how our elected representatives and their paid officials drive transport planning in this country, and it is a disgrace. 

7.9 Modal scope

a) The study will be predominantly single mode in scope, covering strategic and
local authority road networks.

7.10 Exclusions
a) It is assumed that there will be no Public Consultation as part of PCF Stage
0.