A two-year delay to a major Highways Agency scheme could impact on growth in the Hastings area and delay improved links to the rest of the region, the South East Regional Transport Board has warned.

The board has urged the Department for Transport to reconsider the delay to the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury project, a bi-product of the decision to re-estimate the costs of all HA schemes, in response to the Nicholls review.

However, the estimated cost for the A21 project has not increased since December 2007.

In a letter to the DfT, Martin Tugwell, director of development for the South East England Regional Assembly, wrote: ‘I would like to impress on you the urgency with which the region sees the need for the scheme to be delivered.

‘I therefore encourage you to press the Highways Agency to endeavour to bring forward the start date of the scheme, if that is at all possible.’

In a separate letter to transport secretary, Ruth Kelly, the board said it was ‘mindful of the importance that this scheme has in enabling planned growth, not only in the local area but more widely as part of the corridor linking the south coast area around Hastings with the wider Southeast.’

The DfT informed the board of the latest cost estimates earlier in the month, revealing that estimates for the A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst bypass scheme increased by £14M since December 2007, and the A23 Handcross to Warninglid scheme by £22M.