Representation by Lesley Bensley
- Date submitted
- 17 September 2020
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
After initially supporting this project and having been persuaded by the government stance that nuclear energy is necessary, I can no longer support the project because of the misery that the construction phase of Sizewell C will cause to myself and other Marlesford residents. Despite submissions by local groups, including Marlesford Parish Council representing the residents of my village, outlining the disruption and distress that the increased traffic on the A12 will cause, all suggestions have been dismissed. I feel that our concerns have been largely ignored. Plans for the four village bypass must be revisited by EDF, ESC, SCC and central government. I had not opposed the principle or position of the Southern Park and Ride to reduce traffic movements to site but siting it where there is no dual carriageway to carry the increased hgv traffic is a nonsense. Without a bypass, increased traffic with up to 1000 HGVs per day for the entire construction period of many years, will bring misery to our residents that live along the A12. Marlesford already suffers with the community being cut in half by the A12 and the difficulties that pedestrians currently have in crossing the A12 to catch buses or visit the shop will be severe as Sizewell C traffic builds up. It will be increasingly difficult and dangerous for Marlesford residents to exit the village on to the A12 at Bell Lane where vision is already restricted. Traffic controls have not been offered at that point. The massive increase in HGV movements, light van deliveries and workers’ car journeys will cause gridlock. Any incidents causing blockages on the A12 will send traffic looking for alternative routes around Marlesford and the surrounding villages that are dangerous for large vehicles. Many roads such as Marlesford Road, Marlesford joining the B1116 (Hacheston) and the A12 are single track. Cars and vans servicing the site will seek out rat runs to avoid traffic gridlock on the A12, accident rates, noise, light and dust pollution will increase significantly. The impact on the Marlesford community will include severance, a heavy increase in traffic, with significant increases in noise and light pollution. Finally, why has the consultation gone ahead when the Covid 19 pandemic has disrupted the EdF public consultations. They should not have been allowed to proceed during times of restricted access, meeting and transport. EDF’s documents have small print with small maps (and notes that cannot be read) and often with too much fitted on to one page. The subset of residents who have been self-isolating and do not have digital access to documents have been seriously hampered (and in some cases completely disenfranchised) in their ability to respond to the consultation. As many of that subset will be elderly and/or disabled this restriction is discriminatory and potentially illegal under the Equality Act 2010.