Representation by Paul Cole
- Date submitted
- 24 February 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
The crossing as planned, per Highways England's own modelling, does not resolve the traffic problems at the existing Dartford crossing - one of the stated objectives of the scheme. Furthermore, the scheme will increase pollution - particularly of Particulate Matter and Oxides of Nitrogen in an area (Thurrock, South Essex, North Kent) that already fails on a regular basis to meet WHO-10 air quality targets. Neither does the construction or operation of the proposed scheme meet the UK government's targets to reduce CO2 emissions. The plan does nothing to improve road connectivity in the local areas impacted - in fact, it introduces some highly compromised road layouts at the expense of huge loss of greenbelt land. The route does not create new capacity in the location that is required by cross-Thames HGV traffic, which mostly uses the M20 and not the A2. The scheme (naturally, given the promoter) assumes that road is the optimal way to increase connectivity between Essex and Kent. However, a rail scheme would be far cheaper, vastly less polluting, and genuinely transformative in opening up a passenger and freight connection that does not require travelling through London.