THE Chair of Thurrock Council’s Lower Thames Crossing Task Force bought forward a motion at the Full Council meeting last night (Weds 25th Jan 2023) to seek assurances that the Council is committed to opposing the new crossing scheme as currently presented. The outcome was a show of complete and unanimous opposition from every single Thurrock Councillor in attendance at the meeting.[1]
National Highways portray the proposed Lower Thames Crossing as a solution to the problems suffered due to the Dartford Crossing. The current crossing has a design capacity of 135,000 vehicles per day, but regularly sees 180,000 vehicles per day using it, meaning that a reduction of more than 25% would be needed to bring it back below capacity. National Highways state the proposed LTC would reduce traffic at the Dartford Crossing by around 20% in opening year (2030), dropping to around 14% by 2044. Yet Thurrock Council’s analysis of the official National Highways data shows that the proposed new crossing would take as little as 4% of traffic away in the morning peak hour, and 11% in the pm peak hour.[2] Not enough to solve the problems at the Dartford Crossing.
The Dartford Crossing also experiences over 3000 incidents per year, and there are concerns that there would not be adequate connections between the two crossings for traffic to migrate, should the proposed new crossing go ahead. Thurrock Council have also voiced concerns about the impact of the additional traffic the proposed LTC would bring to the existing local road network. Experts predict that there would be around a 50% increase in cross river traffic if the proposed LTC goes ahead.[2]
The scheme would impact nearly 11% of Thurrock’s Green Belt land, and in total will swallow up nearly 10% of all the land in Thurrock. And the council have concerns over the impacts to homes, businesses, communities, residents health and well-being, and environmental impacts, including the 6.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions [3]
Thurrock Council are not alone in their opposition, as other impacted local authorities and local MPs have also voiced opposition and serious concerns about the proposed LTC, as have the Thames Crossing Action who represent thousands of people from all over who are opposed to the proposed £10bn+++ LTC.
On the topic of the LTC motion at Full Council, Chair of Thames Crossing Action Group, Laura Blake said:
“We are of course delighted that all Thurrock Councillors remain united in their unanimous opposition to the proposed LTC. We would like to thank Cllr Massey for bringing the motion to Full Council, and to each and every councillor for their vote of opposition to the proposed LTC.
Councillors are right to acknowledge the severity of impact the proposed LTC would have on Thurrock, and indeed throughout the region both north and south of the river. This is the largest road building road project in the country. What National Highways are proposing would fail to meet the scheme objectives, and would be extremely destructive and harmful to people and the environment. We will continue to voice our concerns and present the evidence that shows the proposed LTC is not fit for purpose, and would be a huge waste of £10bn+++ of taxpayers’ money.”
Those wishing to participate in the LTC Development Consent Order process, including the Examination where representations will be scrutinised by the Planning Inspectorate need to register by 11.59pm on Friday 24thFebruary 2023 on the Planning Inspectorate website – https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/projects/south-east/lower-thames-crossing/#
