Please see the following message from Highways England

As you are aware, the Lower Thames Crossing is currently undertaking a series of surveys at locations throughout North Kent and Essex to help us to improve our proposals and support our Development Consent Order application.
 
I am writing to let you know about the next phase of these surveys. As well as continuing with ground investigations, archaeological trial trenching and utility trial trenching, we will now also be carrying out nail surveys which involves installing small survey nails along and near to the proposed route.
 
What are you doing?

• Ground investigations

This mainly consists of drilling boreholes with a rig through soils up to depths of 60m, to identify the geology, obtain samples, and carry out tests.

• Archaeological trial trenching

We are digging shallow trenches with mechanical excavators to assess the archaeological features of a site. The trenches are approximately 30 metres long and 2 metres wide.

• Utility trial trenching

We are digging small trenches either by hand-digging or with the use of a vacuum excavator, before scanning for existing belowground utilities.

• Survey nails

We are installing survey nails to enable us to identify the geographic coordinates of the proposed route and associated works. They are small in size and designed to ensure that they are not a trip hazard.
 
Where will the investigations take place?

• The borehole and trench locations are mainly on private farm land along or near to the proposed route.
• For some of the utilities surveys, the works can also include public roads.
• The survey nails will be installed on private land and public pathways or roads.

 
When will the work take place?

• This phase of surveys will continue until early 2021.
• Most of the work will take place Monday to Friday, between 8am and 6pm with the possibility of some weekends.

 
We will continue to write to nearby residents in advance to let them know what is happening and when.
 
Utility Surveys – Thong Lane
We will be carrying out utility survey works near to Inn on the Lake on Friday 25th September which will require a single-lane closure with temporary traffic lights between 9pm and 5am. We are also planning overnight works (between 9pm and 5am) on Monday 19th October, this will be a bit further north on Thong Lane and will require a full road closure.
 
You can find further details on these surveys and where they are taking place on the communities page of our website.  

​Urgent Road Closure - Thong Lane, Shorne - 23rd September 2020 (Gravesham)
 
It will be necessary to close Thong Lane, Shorne from 23rd September 2020 for up to 3 days.
 
The road will be closed at outside Thong Lodge.
 
The alternative route is via Vigilant Way - Marling Way - Valley Drive - Marling Cross - Henhurst Rd - Jeskyns Rd - The Street - Halfpence Lane.
 
This is to enable repair works to a burst main to be carried out by South East Water.

Dear Resident,
 
Re: Sole Street Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) Review
 
As you will be aware, Parking Services have been conducting a review of the Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in the borough. We initially intended to send this correspondence in March 2020 however due to the COVID-19 lockdown, Kent County Council (KCC), who we act on behalf of when considering residential parking schemes, put any consultations on hold.
 
The first part of the review involved letters and surveys being sent to all residents that live in the current CPZ.  The letters were sent on 15 July 2019 and residents had 6 weeks to return the questionnaire. After reviewing the feedback received from this questionnaire, we started an informal consultation and sent letters on 06 January 2020 outlining our proposals.
 
What feedback did we receive from the informal consultation?
 
From the 171 properties contacted, we received a total of ten responses to the consultation with five supporting the changes, four objections and one response just asking a question. In our informal consultation letter sent in January 2020, we advised that feedback is important (whether support or objections) but that if we did not receive any response from an address, it would be assumed that the residents of that property are happy with the proposals. With the non-response from 161 properties and five responses supporting the proposals, it shows a clear majority supported the proposals made.
 
Proposed Changes to the CPZ parking scheme
 
Based on the feedback from residents on the surveys, we propose to extend the time from 30 minutes to one hour from 12 noon – 12:30pm to 12 noon – 1pm Monday to Friday. This extra time also gives our enforcement officers additional time to get round the zone and enforce the restrictions. The current 30 minute restriction does limit the amount of roads they are able to cover during the CPZ time.
 
We propose to replace the current ‘Sole Street CPZ’ with a Permit Parking Area (PPA), and the area will form Zone ‘SS01’.
 
Under the current CPZ scheme, the waiver permit limit is one per property if the property has off-street parking available and two if no off-street parking is available. There are no separate resident or visitor permits. As outlined in the informal proposals, we intend to implement separate resident and visitor permits. Resident’s permits will be kept to the same limit, one if the property has off-street parking available and two if you the property does not have off street parking. These resident permits will be registration specific and applicants will need to provide the vehicle log book being registered at the address (typed, printed and recently dated letters on company headed paper will be required for company vehicles) - the price remains at £15 per year.
We also propose to introduce a separate visitor permit and these will be limited to one per property. These will also be at the same charge of £15 per year and will not include a registration number so can be used by any visitors for parking within the parking scheme.
 
Residents that hold existing waiver permits valid for more than 6 weeks from the date the Order is made will be issued one year free of charge for either a resident or visitor permit. Residents whose existing waiver permits that expire within 6 weeks of the Order being made will need to apply for new PPA permits at a cost of £15. At present, we do not know the date the Order will be ‘made’ as this is dependent on feedback received. Should we receive majority support for the proposals, once the final decision has been made, the date will be confirmed and communicated with each address by letter with further details being provided on how to obtain the new permits.
 
What is a Permit Parking Area (PPA)?
 

• Similar to a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ), a Permit Parking Area (PPA) is an area with entry and exit signs that indicate that permits are required to park on any road within the area during the hours of control.
• Entry signs will state the hours of control and the permit code for permits that are eligible to park within that PPA.
• Regular repeater signs throughout the zone will also reiterate that the PPA zone and restriction times.
• No road markings (such as a single yellow line) are required throughout a PPA, and only restrictions that differ from the PPA (such as double yellow lines, disabled bays etc.) will be marked,

making maintenance easier.
 
Examples of the PPA entry and exit signs have been provided for reference.
                        
Similar to what we already offer within our CPZs, businesses and organisations within the zone are entitled to apply for PPA permits for their staff and the same limits will apply. Visitor permits are not available to businesses or organisations.
                
What happens next?
 
This letter serves as notification of a formal consultation and on street Notices will also be installed in affected roads. We have a statutory duty to undertake a formal consultation with residents for 21 days. The Formal Consultation will start on Thursday 03 September 2020 and will end at 5pm on Thursday 24 September 2020. During the consultation period residents will have the opportunity to provide, support or object to the proposals or to provide general feedback.
 
For further information copies of the draft Order, the statement of the Council’s reasons for making the proposed Order, and a copy of any other Orders which will be amended by the proposed Order may be examined on our website www.gravesham.gov.uk/parking-consultations
 
Why do my views matter?
 
It is just as important to supply feedback whether in support of the proposals or objecting to the proposals.  If we do not receive any objections from your address, it will again be assumed that you are happy with the proposals.
 
Please discuss the parking proposals with all the people residing at your address and send your support or objection in writing, either via email or letter, to the addresses provided overleaf, by 5pm on Thursday 24 September 2020. Unfortunately, we will be unable to consider your views if you fail to respond by this date. Please ensure you mark your response ‘Sole Street CPZ Review’ as we are currently reviewing a number of areas around the borough.
 
Email address – parking.consultation@gravesham.gov.uk
 Postal address – RE: Sole Street CPZ Review
      Parking Services
      Gravesham Borough Council
      Civic Centre
      Windmill Street
      Gravesend
      Kent
      DA12 1AU
                             
Have any questions?
 If you have any questions or enquiries on the proposals prior to you making a decision as to whether you support or oppose them, please email parking.consultation@gravesham.gov.uk, or call 01474 33 70 00 to speak to our customer services team.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that provided feedback and expressed their views in completing the initial questionnaire as well as the informal consultation.
 

​When we plan to carry out the work and how long it will take
This is to inform you that as part of the on-going maintenance and improvement of the highway network, Kent County Council will be carrying out post treatment works to the carriageway of Warren Road, Cobham between the junction of Cobhambury Road/Luddesdown Road and the Medway border.
These post treatment ironworks are programmed to start on the 21st September 2020 and should take 2 days to complete. These activities will be undertaken during a working window between the hours of 7am and 7pm.
This type of work can be affected by bad weather, so if it is not possible for us to carry it out at this time, we will arrange a new date and let you know via a letter drop to your home. We will also put up signs along the road before we start showing the date we plan to start work.
During these essential works it will be necessary to close the road completely so that we can carry out the works safely for both the workforce and road users. The diversion route will be via Cobhambury Road, The Street, Jeskyns Road, Henhurst Road, Hever Court Road, Singlewell Road, Harman Avenue, Chalky Bank, A227 Wrotham Road, Harvel Road, White Horse Road, Birling Hill, Stangate Road, Snodland Road, Hollow Lane, Malling Road, A228 Snodland Bypass, Bush Road and vice versa.
What we plan to do
Following on from our road surface treatment earlier in the year we will now be returning to raise any ironwork and ensure that it is level with the new surface. The raising of ironwork requires completion after the new surface is laid, as undertaking this activity prior to surfacing can compromise the works and result in the gullies and manholes not being level with the new surface. Our works detailed in this notification will ensure that the ironwork is raised to the correct level and compliment the recent surfacing works.
How you can help
It is inevitable that residents and businesses near the works will experience some disruption, but we will try to keep these to a minimum. Any pavements will remain open at all times, but vehicle access to properties will need to be restricted for a short period while work is carried out in front of each property. If you have any particular access needs, please let the workforce on site know.
If your vehicle is usually parked on the carriageway, please make sure you park it somewhere else away from the site whilst the works are carried out, so the road is clear for us to complete these works activities.
We need your help to make sure the work is done as quickly as possible and to the best possible quality.
How to contact us
If you need more information, you can visit our website www.kent.gov.uk/resurfacingupdates to find out how we look after the roads throughout Kent or report any faults you find on our roads. Alternatively, you can call us on 03000 41 81 81.
For your safety and the safety of our workforce, please drive carefully and slowly through the roadworks.
WARNING – Beware Bogus Callers
Kent County Council Highways, Transportation and Waste do not allow works to be carried out on private properties. If anyone says they are working for us or our specialist contractors and offer to carry out any work for cash, they should be treated with caution. We advise you to contact Citizen’s Advice on 03444 111 444 (Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm)