A CAMPAIGN group fighting the £10billion Lower Thames Crossing has called on residents to lobby the Government to drop the plan.
Following the Labour Party Conference, the Thames Crossing Action Group is urging people to contact their MPs to voice opposition to the Lower Thames Crossing scheme that will link Kent with Essex in a bid to ease pressure on the Dartford crossing.
Campaigners are hoping it will be among a raft of major road projects the new Labour Government has put on hold but so far there has been no confirmation of that.
A spokesman for the action group said: “All we do know is the Lower Thames Crossing will cost approximately half of the public spending gap. Concerning if a road scheme only offers an Adjusted Benefit Cost Ratio of 1.22, so for every pound spent we would barely see a return on investment. The Department for Transport rank this as “poor value”.
“This investment would be better spent on our health service or other crumbling public services.”
The spokesman added: “Our call to action right now is for everyone to write to their MPs or Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh MP.
“We remain steadfast and hopeful, considering our current financial climate and the crossing being an outdated proposal that doesn’t address long term congestion at Thurrock or Dartford.”
The group said a focus on good public transport is key, “combined with improvements in our rail network to carry long distance goods removing roadside pollution and the associated bottlenecks we see on our national strategic road network”.
Earlier this year, the Government announced 11 schemes already paused from the second Road Investment Strategy and the three earmarked for construction during the third Road Investment Strategy will be removed from the government’s road-building plans.
In addition all new smart motorway schemes will be halted. While the Lower Thames Crossing hasn’t been specifically mentioned, it is being designed as a smart motorway with no hard shoulder and technical control of lane use.
The scheme is currently waiting to see if it will be granted a Development Control Order (DCO)but the Government has previously announced even if it were granted a DCO, the scheme would be delayed.
