Adam Trimingham reports on a new transport strategy from the South East Regional Assembly to ease traffic on the county's congested roads.

MOST people agree transport in the South East is not good enough.

It is a view shared by David Brooks-Wilson, vice-chairman of the South East Regional Assembly's regional planning committee.

Speaking at the launch of the assembly's new transport strategy he said: "For far too many, their everyday experience is of congestion and poor public transport."

The consultation draft entitled From Crisis To Cutting Edge gives a vision of a quality transport system in the region, which will rival the best in Europe by 2021.

Martin Tugwell, head of regional transport planning, said: "We are not being anti-car. There is nothing more anti-car than what we have at the moment."

The emphasis will be to persuade people out of their cars for certain journeys by pointing to the excellence of the alternatives on offer.

At present the South East has flows of traffic a third above the UK average and the highest overcrowding on the railways anywhere in the UK.

Yet, the strategy insisted the picture was not all of unrelieved gloom.

Positive features included the huge investment by rail companies such as Govia in new rolling stock and the continued bus improvements in Brighton and Hove.

The strategy made the case for high and sustained levels of investment in transport over the next 20 years and beyond.

If possible, the emphasis would be taken away from the present system, where almost all roads and railways lead to London, with a greater concentration on better links within the region.

In Sussex, this would mean more money being spent on the east-west links, particularly by rail and especially along the coast.

Regeneration would be linked with transport to free up key sites and provide better ways of reaching them.

The biggest brownfield site in the South East is at Shoreham Harbour, a port which has declined in recent years.

There are plans for reviving the harbour by providing a new road, possibly via a tunnel.

But the strategy suggested it would be best to base the regeneration of the harbour firmly on public transport.

Along the coast at Newhaven, there are also plans to improve the port and the land surrounding it.

The strategy said restoring the direct rail link into the port would be a key element in regeneration along with improving road access.

Govia is already looking into whether the Uckfield to Lewes rail link, dismantled in 1969, should be restored.

It is also considering plans to upgrade both the Arun Valley and Brighton lines.

The strategy said: "We consider this study should look into the wider benefit of restoring the Newhaven/Seaford to London route including the Eridge to Tunbridge Wells service."

The strategy was also strongly behind the Thameslink 2000 project, which will provide better links between Sussex towns and those north of London.

Crawley and Gatwick should be the focus of a quality public transport system, mainly because of the existence of Gatwick as an international gateway.

The newly-approved Fastway system of quick buses for the Gatwick area should be used as the basis for further improvement.

Rail services to Hastings also needed improvements to help regenerate the town and neighbouring areas.

Mike Gwilliam, assembly planning and transport director, said some road improvements were envisaged, notably in the Lancing area but no new motorways were proposed for Sussex.

Mr Gwilliam said it might be worth looking at road charging in Brighton and Hove to raise cash for other transport improvements.

The city was also the only area big enough in Sussex to be considered suitable for a tram system but he emphasised it could cost several hundred million pounds.

The strategy is being put out to public consultation over the next l2 weeks, closing on September 18.

Copies of the main points are available free and the strategy document for £25 from the South East England Regional Assembly, Berkeley House, Cross Lanes, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1UN. The phone number is 01483 555200.

Copies of the strategy will also be available at all public libraries and can be accessed on the assembly's web site at www.southeast-ra.gov.uk