Keep Sussex beautiful

Sussex faces a nightmare in the next century of having thousands of new homes foisted on its its

precious countryside by the

Government.

An independent panel appointed by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott says more than 135,000 new homes should be built in the county by the year 2016.

That's even more than the

figures already bitterly contested by councils, and would increase the population of Sussex by a third.

Put another way, it would be the equivalent of having a new town the size of Worthing plus dozens of new villages.

Sussex is already one of the most crowded counties in England, which has one of the world's highest population densities.

Thousands of new homes would desecrate beautiful countryside. They would put unacceptable pressure on roads, schools, hospitals and social services.

Councillors should waste no time in telling the Government the panel's got it all wrong. There are brownfield sites in other parts of the country that should be used before anyone considers defiling the beautiful green fields of

Sussex.

Honest Nick

When schoolgirl Victoria Smith called for a crossing near her home in Durrington, local councillor Nick Rodgers promised she'd be the star at the opening ceremony if it was ever built.

It took many months, but Victoria's big day came at last in busy Romany Road when she opened the much-needed crossing.

What a nice 11th birthday

present for Victoria - and how refreshing to hear of a councillor who keeps his promises.

Err, where?

Commuter Ralph White wondered why the trains kept rushing by when they should have stopped to pick him up at Cooksbridge

station near Lewes.

He found out from Connex South Central there was an error in route instructions given to drivers, so it was not on their map.

Not for the first time, Connex has proved to be off the rails.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.