Representation by Catherine Hoggarth
- Date submitted
- 24 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I disagree very strongly with the Lower Thames Crossing for the following reasons: The large and adverse impact on the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the ancient woodlands is completely unacceptable in this time of climate and environmental crisis. The loss of wildlife and habitats would greatly affect the whole area and remove an area which should be protected at all costs. As a teacher, I have had children in my classes in tears at the prospect of losing their favorite places to walk and view wildlife. The biodiversity and climate crisis makes saving our remaining green spaces an imperative which the government should enforce. People,especially children's, mental health should be of paramount concern and by removing yet another natural space, especially one as important which will be destroyed by the LTC, you deny them both clean area and the space to heal and learn about nature. This along makes this project a potential national disgrace above and beyond the HS2 disaster! Levels of pollution which are already bad in the area around the proposed Lower Thames Crossing will increase, possibly way past the WHO limits. Particles are not just emitted from exhaust fumes but from tyres - this will not be reduced by any change to electric vehicles. The traffic issues around the area of the proposed LTC are already serious, to the extend that some days it is virtually impossible to get along the A2/M2 and surrounding areas towards London. The impact of the LTC at it proposed location would be catastrophic for locals (like me) trying to drive towards London. I would challenge the people in charge of this project to spend a month trying to move around the area by car and then still believe that the LTC would have a positive impact on traffic in the area. Multiple studies have shown that adding roads increases rather than decreases traffic - the idea of additional traffic heading for this, already seriously overloaded, area is of serious concern.