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LOWER THAMES CROSSING ROUTE CONSULTATION 2016 – PARISH COUNCIL ADVICE

2/4/2016

1 Comment

 
As many of you will now be aware, Highways England has announced its proposal for a new Lower Thames Crossing to the east of Gravesend. This proposal will have the most serious impact on residents of Shorne, Riverview Park, Thong, Chalk and Higham but the effects of a Crossing on our doorstep cannot be underestimated. All Gravesham residents will be hugely affected.
 
The ‘consultation’ period for this proposal runs until 24 March 2016 so we do not have long to register our opposition. We are therefore writing to let you know what we are doing as a Parish Council, what information events have been organised by Highways England, and what we need all local residents to do if we are to stand any chance at all of lobbying Highways England/the Government into re-considering ‘Option C’.
 
Cobham Parish Council – our position
 
Cobham Parish Council is opposed to ‘Option C’. Our view is that this option is the most costly, has the highest negative impact on the environment in terms of pollution and destruction of the countryside, and will not solve the problems at Dartford. We are doing all we can to ensure that residents are aware of the proposal and take part in the consultation. We are also offering any support we can to other local Parish Councils, particularly Shorne who will be the most affected. Our Councillors are attending the information evenings and meeting with local groups as well as attending meetings with our MP, Adam Holloway and those KCC and GBC Councillors who are also opposed to the proposal.
 
Our March Parish Council meeting is on Monday 7 March at 7.30pm in The Meadow Room. We would encourage as many of you as possible to come along. We will present our analysis of the proposals and hopefully be able to answer your questions. The consultation deadline is 24 March so there will still be time after this meeting to register your opposition.
 
Please check this site and our Facebook page for any updates (www.facebook.com/CobhamParishCouncil).
 
 Attend the Highways England Information Events
 
If you have not already done so, please go along to one of these events and see the proposals presented for yourselves. Please check the Highways England website for the up-to-date list: www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk
 
Shorne Village Hall - Saturday 6 February 10.30am – 4.00pm
Gravesham Borough Council Civic Centre - Fri 12 Feb 11.00am – 7.00pm
Gravesham Borough Council Civic Centre- Sat 13 Feb 10.30am – 4.00pm
Bluewater Shopping Centre - Fri 19 Feb 11.00am – 7.00pm
Bluewater Shopping Centre - Sat 20 Feb 10.30am – 4.00pm
 
Tell your friends and neighbours too!
 
Lastly, and most importantly, take part in the consultation.
 
Once you have read all the documents, examined the maps and heard the plans, please ‘have your say’ – www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk
 
We need as many people as possible to respond INDIVIDUALLY saying ‘No’ to ‘Option C’. Petitions will NOT be counted as part of this consultation.
 
If you do not have access to the internet, paper versions of the questionnaire are available from a number of locations including Gravesend and Meopham libraries. (The full list is of locations is on the Highways England site.) We will also make copies available at the March Parish Council meeting. Please contact the clerk on clerk@cobham-kent-pc.gov.uk/01474 814701 if you are unable to collect from any of these locations and would still like a copy.
 
Yours faithfully,
Cobham Parish Council
 
 
 
 
 
1 Comment
Phil
3/1/2016 02:20:14 pm

Re the Lower Thames Crossing:
From my research of the history behind this, it seems that Cobham Services were always earmarked for this and that the new Shorne route is just that. Whilst I agree the main thrust should be no to option C, I have concerns that the A2 Cobham Services junction would end up being used. If you have had a chance to look at the detail of the junction you will see it is a bit of a dog's dinner and requires the closure of 3 slip roads either side all of which will likely to lead to more traffic through Cobham (because Gravesend East and Shorne traffic will not have their own slip roads anymore in certain directions). There is a proposed new link road connecting Jeskyns roundabout and the Cobham/Shorne roundabout which I suspect will get severely blocked as it is single carriageway (again due to space restrictions). In other words there is a very real risk of heavy traffic coming through Cobham. There is also the issue that the A2 could well become blocked in either direction due to the shorter/insufficient length of road to the tunnel portal from Cobham Services and because the design/space for the junction is such that traffic exiting the A2 would be at a crawl to navigate the curves. It is tighter than the Ebbsfleet exit which is already dangerous for lorries. So the result is that traffic will attempt to avoid the A2 stretch by coming through Cobham as the obvious choice. If this were to happen we should seriously propose further restrictions in Cobham itself (I don't know buses/residents only?) or even to make it one directional. Anyway, just a few thoughts on this.

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