East Sussex County Council Overruns Budget By £5 Million On Queensway Gateway Road Project

East Sussex County Council (ESCC) has admitted spending £5 million over budget on the Queensway Gateway Road project in Hastings, which finally opened in September — nine years later than originally planned.

The road, linking the A21 Sedlescombe Road North and Queensway, was delayed by a series of challenges, according to the council.

A spokesperson said:

"We had to undertake a significant scheme redesign, carry out remedial work, divert utilities and deal with difficult ground conditions, all of which were unexpected and not factored into the original budget."

Helena Dollimore, MP for Hastings and Rye, described the project as a “shambles from start to finish” and criticised the council for the impact on other local services.

"Because East Sussex County Council dragged these works out for so long, they now have £5 million less to spend on filling potholes and repairing our roads," she said.

"How is it fair for residents to pay the price for the council's failure?"

Dollimore also highlighted the disruption caused to residents and local businesses during the long-running project.

She said businesses lost “millions” and residents faced repeated delays getting to work or school.

One taxi driver told BBC Radio Sussex he lost “nearly two hours every single day” sitting in traffic.

The MP has called for an independent inquiry into the project.

“East Sussex County Council must take full responsibility. The council and contractors owe it to local taxpayers to explain what went so wrong and how they will ensure lessons are learned,” she said.

ESCC has previously apologised for delays but said the road now offers significant benefits.

The council said the project is “vital in improving traffic flow and transport links between Bexhill and Hastings and unlocking the development potential of more business space for employment.”

An external report published on Tuesday also notes that ESCC has identified £14.3 million in savings for 2025/26.