Decision details

To consider responses from the key stakeholder and public consultations on the draft East Sussex Freight Strategy, alongside seeking approval of this as a supporting document to the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4.

35.1     The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport.

DECISIONS

35.2     The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

(1) note the outcomes of the stakeholder and public consultation undertaken in May/June 2025 on the draft East Sussex Freight Strategy;

(2) acknowledge the importance of the strategy in setting out the County Council’s key priorities for freight in East Sussex, which will place the Council in a stronger position to lobby for future funding and support the development and delivery of future investment to support the movement of freight in East Sussex;

(3) approve the Freight Strategy, at Appendix 1 of the report, which is a modal strategy supporting the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4, 2024 – 2050; and

(4) delegate authority to the Director of Communities, Economy and Transport to make future minor amendments to the strategy.

REASONS

35.3     The ambition for freight in East Sussex is to support the efficient movement of goods as it is critical to both the productivity of the county’s businesses and people’s everyday lives through the movement of goods to shops and between business to business, homes and local collection points, and in supporting the growing expectation of on-demand deliveries. This aligns with the East Sussex Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4) adopted by the County Council in October 2024 and will also align with the other modal strategies being developed or updated post publication of the LTP4.

35.4     Significant evidence gathering, stakeholder engagement and consultation have been undertaken which has constructively shaped the draft East Sussex Freight Strategy. As set out in paragraph 2.16 of the report, the strategy has been updated to reflect some of the key consultation comments received. Consequently, the 4 priority areas for investment set out in paragraph 1.4 of the report have been identified as part of this process.

35.5     The strategy has been developed for the County Council to demonstrate its priorities for freight, how the Council can achieve them and how progress can be made on these in the short term, subject to available resource and funding, whilst also taking full account of the forthcoming changes arising from devolution and local government reorganisation. The Strategy will be a live document, and therefore adaptable to reflect the impending changes.

35.6     Following the Lead Member’s consideration of a petition on freight routeing in the county in September 2023, a review of the existing freight routeing network - that allows the distribution of HGVs across the A and B class road network in the county - has been undertaken as part of the development of the draft Freight Strategy. Whilst consideration has been given to introduce a freight routeing network so that HGVs be redirected away from B class roads through villages, this would place additional pressures on the limited and inconsistent quality A class road network in the county. Therefore, the draft Freight Strategy sets out that the existing freight routeing network policy for HGVs using A and B class roads wherever possible should remain. Given the impact of freight movements on local communities, the draft Freight Strategy identifies a policy and workstream related to better understanding localised impacts with communities and opportunities for mitigating these impacts.