Representation by Rosalind Evans
- Date submitted
- 24 August 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I live in (Redacted), and my submission concentrates on the Cross Lanes to Rokeby section; here there are very significant problems with the ‘Black Route’ design for Rokeby Junction proposed by Highways England (HE) and I strongly oppose this route being approved. Rokeby Junction Black Route plan: 1. The design means that vehicles using the Rokeby junction to and from the southern carriageway will have to double back on the de-trunked road. It is counter to the natural and historic lines of the current roads and junctions, and will have a profound harmful and permanent effect on the lives of local residents in Teesdale 2. For the environment it means more tarmac laid, more carbon emissions from vehicles and more noise. 3. Non motorised road users: the provision of the Black Route for anyone not in a motorised vehicle requires a long detour - all due to the overall design concept of moving the junction so unnecessarily out of alignment with our historic network of roads and paths. 4. Implications for our local road network: The Black Route will have a severe and permanent effect on our local road system, which will cause significant harm to lives in Teesdale far beyond the corridor of the A66 route. These negative and harmful effects will be on traffic levels on local roads, the safety of residents and visitors, our historic and natural environment and the local economy. Overall the harm of the Black Route junction at Rokeby to the fabric of our lives in Teesdale would be immense and irreversible. Before the consultation, Highways England had also designed the ‘Blue Route’. The only reason I have been given that the Blue Route should not be pursued is that it would affect a narrow band of woodland at Church Plantation, which is part of a designated parkland. This has resulted in Heritage England objecting to the Blue Route. Heritage England have taken a very narrow and partial view of the historic impact. They have taken no account of the many important historic buildings which would be affected with the increased traffic across County Bridge; there are many listed buildings and historic monuments, which Historic England should be protecting here. Historic England have taken no account of the wider significance of how the parkland was designed to sit in the Teesdale landscape, and the historic significance of the ancient road and path networks. Equally, HE have said that the Blue Route could be tweaked to provide more mitigation against harm to Rokeby Park – however this has not been pursued at all.