Representation by Andrew Doughty
- Date submitted
- 15 September 2018
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
As a local resident of Ramsgate, who frequently travels west along the A299/M2/M20, I am concerned that the proposed River Oak Strategic Partners document has little viable , realistic traffic modelling for the local area and beyond. On 23 January 2018 I attended the River Oak Strategic Parker’s event where I asked the ‘professionals’ three questions about traffic.
- What would be the average new traffic movement s relating to one plane ?
- As Manston is NOT connected to a fuel pipeline, what would be the requirement for deliveries and where would they come from?
- As Manston airfield is situated on an ‘island’ with the only viable access and egress from the west, why in the documents were they proposing access via A 256 Deal/ Sandwich/Dover road together with the A28 Canterbury road (a poor single carriage way road with the network rail level crossing at Sturry)?
To questions 1 and 2 I was handed a noise migration plan and was told by the consultants that they had little idea what aircraft would be landing at Manston so within the list was 570 different aircraft from 747 s to DC3 Dakota’s. I asked again how many road movements are required to unload and refuel a Boeing 747 for example, the answer was it would depend on what the aircraft was carrying and it’s onward destination. To this end I believe that the information given by River Oak does not reflect the true nature of future road traffic movements along the only western corridor from the island. The River Oak document that by year 20 they forecast 64906 HGV movements but do not identify private vehicles, vans, staff movements nor fuel tankers. Travelling along A299 a dual carriage way which then joins A2/M2 at junction 7, this intersection is heavily used by all traffic accessing Dover port. The M2 is an old 60’s motorway and completely overwhelmed by the current transport requirements, to such an extent that the A2/M25 Dartford crossing area, traffic pollution constantly exceeds guidelines. Alternatively traffic from Manston could turn off M2 to cross country using A249 to join M20. The M20 is a primary route to serve the Channel Tunnel and Dover port, this road is totally overwhelmed at present. To summarise , Manston Airfield is NOT STRATEGICALLY placed to serve the UK with freight imports, the western road corridor being totally unsuitable for present and future requirements. This can be highlighted when Dover or the Tunnel have problems, chaos is caused with stacking vehicles which divert traffic movements to A2 /M2 / A299 and beyond. To establish a cargo hub from an airfield with no fuel pipeline system but relying on tanker deliveries in vast quantities, storing on site, seems like a proposal from a previous century. Finally River Oak states that by the year 20 the airfield will employ 4200 staff, allowing for 40% working at any one time with no proposed public transport to the site , there must be a requirement for some 1600 parking / bike slots , excluding visitors.