Representation by Deb Cooper
- Date submitted
- 20 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
RATIONALE for an RFT The proposed site is a near a rail line. However, this line is not electrified so will not be as efficient, nor is it a main line. It provides frequent and regular passenger traffic between Birmingham to Leicester, and some diesel freight traffic. I am very concerned that the proposal for a large RFT here cannot be accommodated by the current rail infrastructure and capacity. Should the vision of 16 freight trains a day be realised, there would be severe and detrimental impacts on passengers services, level crossing barrier down times and the consequential impact on road traffic. The plan shows a disproportionately high portion of warehousing space in addition to storage as part of the rail freight operational site. This indicates a site for warehousing that is currently prospective only. This amount of warehousing would severely impact traffic levels and congestion and cannot be adequately supported by local road infrastructure. One of the benefits is claiming a saving of 1.6 billion HGV km a year by using rail instead of road transport, but this is massively overstated and equates to 1 HGV doing 3618 km a day. This is not possible and so this rail freight terminal cannot deliver this kind of saving. This is misleading for the public. Also, the number HGV movements per day compared to the promised train movements per day demonstrates clearly that this site is for HGV distribution and warehousing. ROAD TRAFFIC As a resident of Stoney Stanton, I am concerned that the current excessive traffic movements in Stoney Stanton and other villages in the area have not been appropriately quantified, and outdated volumes are being used in the modelling for this development proposal. Proposed minor changes to roads in Stoney Stanton do not adequately consider existence of primary school, doctors’ surgery, and will make the area for pedestrians more unsafe and hazardous. Traffic is a major issue in many of the local villages and surrounding area and I’m very concerned that the proposed mitigation put forward on the local road infrastructure is inadequate and will have a negligible impact on the huge increase in vehicle movements and disruption that this development will create: 1000s of HGV and LGV movements Additional commuter traffic to the site New users of the proposed MG69 junction 2 southbound exit (cannot be accurately quantified …and mitigated for) If all the HGVs from HNRFI joined the M69 - going north would reach the M1 junction 21 interchange which is already over capacity (a junction that is not being considered as part of this proposal). - going south would reach the M69 junction 1 with the A5 – a roundabout that is already very busy and more queues are now forming and blocking exits due to the location of 2 new warehouse on A5 and the consequential HGV and LGV traffic. The proposed A47 link road is planned to meet a B road, B4668, not the A47. This is not a sensible approach, with many side roads and junctions to facilities along that stretch of the B4668 and will only cause more traffic build up. LOCATION I think the size of the proposal shows that there is too much being crammed into an area to make it a feasible operation, and this leaves inadequate areas of greenery, landscaping mitigation and areas to screen the site. There are a substantial number of RFIs within 40km (DIRFT, Birch Coppice, East Midlands Gateway). which can cater for road to rail freight and already serve the same ports that are proposed for the HNRFI. Some of the existing RFIs are being expanded to increase capacity. This hub could only remove freight from road to rail if all freight came in on trains – I don’t see there is enough rail infrastructure and sidings to accommodate this. This benefit will not however be seen in this area – in fact the area will have significantly increased traffic movements. Rationale was given that a RFI is needed to serve Felixstowe, but the East Midlands Gateway RFI has already announced new services to Felixstowe, and DIRFT (which is being expanded currently) can serve Felixstowe. There are high number of warehouses already, and more being built in my local area and I strongly believe that the demand for warehousing is already catered for. BIODIVERSITY The proposed site is situated right next to a SSSI – Burbage Common and Woods – and will devastate the area, wildlife, biodiversity, trees, and hedgerows. The site itself is also going to mean a considerable amount of farmland being lost. ENVIRONMENTAL The proposed development site will cause pollution and environmental impacts to the wider area. Flooding - I am concerned about the threat of floods increasing in this area and being more severe due to the construction of such an enormous site will affect the drainage in the area and cause a change to the water table level. Noise pollution – noise that can be recorded from the M69 now with current traffic levels is 80db, so this will only get worse with the increased HGV traffic, commuter traffic and rail traffic to the proposed site. The noise from the continuous loading and unloading gear, vehicle movements and rail movements will all contribute to a noisy environment affecting many residents in the local communities. There will also be detrimental to the wildlife in the area and destroy the tranquility experienced today at Burbage Common and the surrounding area for recreational users. I became a resident of Stoney Stanton nearly 27 years ago, wanting to live in a village and rural environment. Roads were generally quiet and safe, but traffic has increased year on year with bolt on housing developments around our village and Sapcote. At no time has local infrastructure been improved to support increases in population and incidental traffic journeys. I am very worried for myself and local residents that this proposed development will negatively impact our lives for evermore (10 years construction phase) and then the operational phase itself. I seriously believe that it could mean residents will be trapped in the village due to traffic congestion. I am not being NIMBY, as I won't be able to see the HNRFI should it go ahead, but strongly believe that the development of this size and its impacts to the whole area are being seriously understated.