Representation by Ian Thomson
- Date submitted
- 4 July 2024
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I am particularly concerned about: 1. Pollution caused by construction works and due to increased traffic flow following completion and the direct affect of this on the the health and wellbeing of the Newark population. 2. Loss of the natural environment including habitat, trees and biodiversity both during building works and due to the increase in width due to the unnecessary dualling the existing road on a sensitive flood plain. 3. The disingenuous nature of the way this development is being presented to the people of Newark suggests that the basic premise of the scheme, which is designed primarily to speed lorries to the Humberside ports, is not really in our interests. It will not deal with congestion in and around Newark and, in fact, will increase it many times over during an extended construction period. 4. As no meaningful consideration is given to Newark as the intersection of north/south traffic in the A1 and north west/south east traffic on the A1/A17 Newark will be left with an ugly dangerous compromise at the three way crossing point. Future local traffic will be disadvantaged for a long time to come. 5. If the real needs of Newark are meaningfully considered a much simpler, less environmentally damaging & less expensive way of dealing with our needs would be possible. 6. The scale of the development and the protracted nature of such schemes nowadays will take a disproportionate length of time during which businesses will be put in jeopardy as people living outside of the town are discouraged from travelling into Newark. 7. In a climate and biodiversity crisis huge road developments are increasingly coming under scrutiny. The money would be better spent on improved public transport, cycling schemes and infrastructure which would enhance a sustainable future environment. This scheme is rooted in old ways of thinking which are inappropriate for the current times. 8. In addition the size of the development is totally out of proportion to the scale of a historic market town.