Representation by Kieran Dyer
- Date submitted
- 20 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Given the current cost of living crisis, monetary decay of funding across public schemes, sectors and investments. It begs the question, how can a project, estimated to cost in the region of £10bn – minimum, be justified when the use of such funds could be reassigned to more critical and vulnerable sectors? Following the Welsh Governments recent decision to scrap all major road-building projects, it should be a matter of similar action. For the act of scrapping such a scheme not only would allow for investing in alternative modes of transport, such as rail, bus, walking and cycling projects, which works towards the reducing carbon emissions and supporting a shift to public transport, it also saves on monumental costs, which no doubt will spiral as the project grows or intensifies. This has a two-fold benefit, by reinvesting in greener alternative transport modes, it not only meets the demands of the local population it also works towards reducing carbon emissions. There is quite simply not enough evidence to suggest that A) this is and will be a “green project” B) the cost and budget will not fluctuate and swell given the economic factors we are facing C) Prove beneficial for the local population impacted by this project. Furthermore, the total lack of information that has been made available is astounding. I work in the road construction industry and Highways England have not even come close to achieving a accessible and just consultation. On several occasions for instance, my own road, where I live has failed to have received any information other neighbours have received concerning matters on the LTC. Despite being contacted there has been no effort to rectify this matter. There scale of this project fails to identify the needs of the local populace, no heed has been paid to locals, with the local knowledge of roads who have state time after time about the inadequate connections and viable alternatives, especially should incidents occur on the route. There will be instances where you will be forcing HGVs through villages. You are not giving like-for-like alternatives, further to this, you are encouraging increased traffic flow through small villages and towns as a means to get onto the LTC and come off, rendering these places to nothing more than crowded, polluted rat runs. You can used Orsett as an example, investigate the impact on such a village. Regards, Kieran Dyer