Hastings Alliance for Sustainable Transport Solutions said the bill had more than doubled and would only see more cars on the road.

Nick Bingham, chairman for the group, said: "Costs have more than doubled from £47 million to close on £100 million.

"At a time of belt tightening, as well as huge increases in the costs of road transport and concerns over climate change, it is alarming to see East Sussex County Council and co-promoters of the Bexhill to Hastings Link Road (BHLR) pretending that the hugely environmentally damaging road project is still 'value for money.

"It is absolute madness to commit huge sums of money to build transport infrastructure that will see an increase in dependence on the car.

"This is especially true in Bexhill and Hastings where journeys are overwhelmingly short distance, and school run traffic is well above average for the UK.

"With BHLR, the future would look bleak, with those living in any new planned communities more likely to place the car first in a list of travel options.

"The communities themselves would be far less likely to include high quality alternatives to the car; public transport would be undermined."

The group said one tenth of the current cost could be used to set up several things such as a real time bus information system, a new cycleway by the sea between Bexhill and Hastings, a cycle link between the two new college sites at Hastings station and Ore, a new railway station at Glyne Gap and a substantial start on creating 20mph zones in residential areas.

Cllr Matthew Lock, the county council's lead member for transport and environment and borough council's lead member for regeneration, said it was true costs had doubled on building the new road.

He said: "You cannot build the new industry in Hastings without the access from the link road so people can get to these jobs we are trying to create."

Cllr Lock said the council was currently in discussions with Stagecoach over the possibility of setting up a real time bus information system.

He also said a new cycleway between Hastings and Bexhill was due to get the go-ahead in three years.