Sussex business is losing more than £300 million a year because of poor transport links.

The figure was announced at a meeting to discuss the problems with more than 40 leading business people organised by Sussex Enterprise.

Policy director Mark Froud said: "The business demand for transport is going up and we cannot stop the tide.

"Road traffic is forecast to increase by one per cent every year but to move people to public transport, we must increase its capacity by 15 per cent.

"Apart from South Central Trains' investment in new rolling stock, the Government and the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) have not committed any money to improving the rail system.

"Sussex Enterprise is urging the business community to demand the Government creates an efficient integrated transport system for everyone.

"To overcome the many transport problems the Government must review its existing transport policies, reinvest money raised from transport charges and provide improved and more reliable public transport as a real alternative for motorists."

Businesses will get the chance to have their say on the future of transport in Sussex during the next two months through the Government's South Coast Multi-Modal Study, which was launched last year to investigate transport along the coastal strip and recommend improvements.

The findings of this study will be available for public viewing and comment at a series of workshops and exhibitions across Sussex next month.

Businesses will have until June 21 to put forward their views.

Mark Brown, project director for the study consultants Halcrow, said: "Feedback from the public and businesses has been extremely encouraging."

Problems highlighted by the study included congestion in urban areas and on the A27 trunk road at Polegate, Beddingham and Lewes.

In the Hastings area, public transport was the main concern along with the inadequacy of the A259.

In the west of the county, businesses said the Arundel and Chichester bypasses were the congestion blackspots, hitting a peak during the school run.

Improvements on the railways across the county were called for.