Representation by J Montgomerie
- Date submitted
- 19 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I OBJECT to the proposed Lower Thames Crossing. There is a climate emergency. We must lower our carbon emissions. In the UK about 27% of its carbon emissions come from transport, of which the overwhelming amount is from road traffic. In my view this government must cancel ALL planned new roads with immediate effect, as it's well-known that new roads cause 'induced demand' and simply create even more traffic in the long run. If its aim is to reduce congestion it will fail, as has been seen in many well-documented cases here in the UK and world-wide. If you build roads to cater for more vehicles, you will get more vehicles. This project will cause a massive increase in carbon emissions during construction and afterwards during its daily use, and the planet simply cannot afford that. As it is we're not on course to reach the necessary reduction by the declared date, so building more new roads makes absolutely no sense. Also increased traffic will lead to worse air pollution, leading again to the UK failing to meet its own objectives in improving air quality. Undoubtedly the construction of this scheme will cause the loss of wildlife habitats which the UK can ill-afford either, having been named as the most wildlife-depleted country in Western Europe. Money allocated to this scheme would deliver far greater economic benefit if it were to be spent instead on active travel programmes and public transport. This is where the greater need is.