Poor transport links have cost Sussex businesses £2 billion over the past year, according to figures from the British Chamber of Commerce.

The group said bad roads and rail links cost businesses in the region an average of £29,000 each in the past 12 months.

Business groups have jumped on the figures as proof of their claims Sussex's transport infrastructure is in need of improvement.

The BCC survey found six out of ten businesses in Sussex say the UK's transport infrastructure is a big influence on where they locate.

Steven Gauge, director of membership and communications at Sussex Enterprise, said: "This figure is conformation of what our members tell us day in day out.

"Sussex businesses are being drastically held back by Government inactivity over investment in transport."

Monday April 19, 2004