Plans for a link road to cut congestion between Hastings and Bexhill have reignited protests from environmentalists.

Campaigners fought a successful battle to get a bypass scheme rejected by the Government in July last year. The green lobby fears the link road may be a bypass under a different guise.

The recommendation forms part of the final draft of the £1 billion South Coast Corridor Multi Modal Study, which investigated congestion, safety and green issues.

Friends of the Earth (FoE) has strongly backed most of the measures, including congestion charging, higher car parking fees, public transport and walking and cycling improvements.

But the group has criticised the road building proposals, saying they will not help regenerate Hastings and Bexhill.

Amanda Brace, FoE's regional campaigns co-ordinator, said: "Building a great big road between two towns is not going to create jobs. We believe it would contribute to people leaving the towns.

"There are some good ideas, such as public transport, but they need to implement those first."

Hastings and Rye Labour MP Michael Foster insisted the link road was vital to ease congestion and open up deprived areas to investment.

Along with the link road, Government consultants Halcrow have put forward three other road-based improvements for Hastings.

They include traffic management schemes in the Wishing Tree and Gillsman Hill areas, a link to the A21 along Queensway and improvements on the A21 north of Hastings.

In addition, six public transport improvements are recommended, which the Transport Secretary will have the final say on.

Among the most eye-catching are plans for new rail stations at Glyne Gap in Bexhill, West St Leonards and Wilting Farm. Other ideas include greatly-improved interchange facilities at railway stations, more extensive urban and rural bus services.

Other key issues concerned child road safety in the towns' urban areas, particularly along Hastings seafront.

The report also outlined the deep-seated economic problems in Hastings and Bexhill, which many link to bad infrastructure.

Other key plans include a flyover at the Beddingham level crossing, near Lewes, a notorious bottleneck spot.

A new rail station is tabled for Stone Cross, near Hailsham, while Hailsham-Polegate-Eastbourne may become a bus priority corridor.