Representation by Andrea Mason
- Date submitted
- 19 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have serious concerns about the impact on wildlife and habitats in Essex, including: * Biodiversity loss, such as water voles, reptiles and rare insects. * Damage to and fragmentation of habitats, including ancient woodland and local wildlife sites. * Increased noise and lighting disturb communication, breeding, feeding and movement in species such as bats, birds and insects. * Reduce the remoteness and wildness of the landscape and its tranquillity. * Generating more traffic and increasing CO2 emissions, which directly conflicts with the government's target to achieve net zero by 2050. * Associated development and future developments will put more pressure on wildlife and wild spaces. * Current infrastructure is already stretched and unable to cope with teh amount of road traffic in South Essex and North Kent, this crossing will be another excuse to buildmore unsustainable housing. * The Lower Thames Crossing will result in more pollution which is against the UK Governments Net Zero Targets. * The crossing is benefitting the South East and London again at the expense of the North of the UK. * UK Government has shown complete disregard to proper budget control in relation to HS2 and has acted incompetently resulting in escalating costs which now threaten the completing of HS2 in time. Lower Thames Crossing, will also result in the same disregard to public money and much waste which negates the any benefits it would bring.