LABOUR Leader of Thurrock Council John Kent has written to the Secretary of State for Transport for the second time in a month to question comments made by local Conservatives.
Following his request for Patrick McLoughlin to confirm comments from South Basildon and East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe that the government was now “minded” to delay announcing its favoured new Thames Crossing route until after the introduction of free-flow tolling had been assessed, John Kent has written again.
This time he admits to being “astonished” by allegations in a local paper that the government was going to pay £750,000 for a study into the proposed Canvey-Thurrock link road.
Mr Kent said: “I still haven’t had a reply to my first letter and don’t really expect to get one. The longer the delay the more I fear that Mr McLoughlin doesn’t want to be seen to contradict one of his Tory colleagues this close to local and European elections.
“But if the government has changed its policy on funding studies into new roads I really do want to know. There are road studies here in Thurrock that we have funded, or found funding for. If the government now has the money to do this, then I think it should be published far and wide – the Tory member for Thurrock is constantly banging on about Thurrock Council not funding this or that; maybe she should catch the minister in an airport too?
“However, I think it more likely that this is just another Tory ruse; another political headline that will be quietly forgotten in a few weeks weeks’ time.”
In his letter, Mr Kent says “Some of us do not believe everything we read in the newspapers so please could you confirm the position on this specific story?
“Thurrock Council has not been consulted on an actual proposal for such a road and does not support this road in principle as we believe it will lead to even more congestion on Thurrock’s already congested roads.
“I also understand that Government decisions on highway funding, as part of the SEP (South Essex Partnership) and LGF (Local Growth Fund) will be announced formally in July. Please could you confirm that the Department for Transport still does not fund feasibility studies on local transport proposals and is not doing so for this project?”
Mr Kent said: “While I will of course continue to fight against this proposed road, I am confident it won’t happen. It would need Essex County Council’s support and it doesn’t even rate a mention in their proposals for transport in the South East Local Enterprise Partnership bids for funding delivered to the government earlier this month.
“It’s another good headline based not in truth and fact, but instead based on nothing but smoke and mirrors.”
