Agenda item

– Information report of Mr David Brazier, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment and Mike Austerberry, Corporate Director of Enterprise and Environment)

 

(1)     Cabinet received an urgent report for information detailing the Council’s response to the Department for Transport (DfT) proposals for a new Lower Thames crossing.

 

(2)     TheLeaderoftheCounty Councilintroduced the item;inparticular he referred to the following:

 

(i)   That the reportwastaken under proceduresfor urgency.  It hadnot been possible  to  defer  the  decision  until  the  next  meeting  of  Cabinet  as  the responsehadtobesubmittedthedayafteritwasconsideredhere[16July 2013]andit hadnotbeenpossibleto publishthereportsoonerasofficers had beenconductingworktogatherviewsandincorporatetheminto theresponse, now publishedon theCouncil’s website anddistributedtothosepresent.

(ii)    MrCarter acknowledged,andaskedthat theresponsebe further updatedto acknowledge,thattherehadbeensubstantiveoppositionfromthosepeople livingorworkingwithincloseproximitytoanyoftheoptionsputforwardbythe DepartmentforTransport, particularlyoptionsB andC.

(iii)       Hestressedthatithadalwaysbeentheintentionoftheadministrationto includea report for information, on the agendaat thismeeting, but alsothat theyhadbeencommittedtoensuringthatasfullanengagementwiththe public andelectedmembersas possiblehadbeenconducted.

(iv)               Herequestedthat afurthercomment undereachset of responses be addedto the response,torequestthatthey be readinconjunctionwiththecovering reportwhichwould further clarify for theDfT thereasonswhytheCounty Councilhadput forwarda view thata crossingwasneededandthat option‘C’ was the preferred corridor by whichit be achieved.

(v)   ThattheresponsetobesubmittedonbehalfofKCCwasinlinewiththatof both EssexCountyCouncilandSouthEastLocalEnterprisePartnershipbut he added,notinline withtheviewsofeither ThurrockorGraveshamlocal Councils.

(vi)               HereportedthathewouldtakedebateonthematterandthatColinCallerhad requestedandbeengranted permissiontoaddress themeeting.

 

(3)     Mr Caller,LocalMemberforGraveshamEastcametothetableandspoketothe item.  Hemadethefollowingpoints:

 

(i)      Hereferredtothelate publicationofthe full proposedresponseandthat asa consequence he wouldnotbeableto respondtothespecific detailswithinit but, although thiswasunfortunate,hewouldinsteadmakea generalresponse

(ii)  He arguedthatthe Governmentsdesiretomakea decisionon thismatterat the present time was premature.TheGovernment hadfailedto consider in its consultation:

•        Significantdevelopments planned but  not  yet  implemented  that couldhavea dramaticimpactontrafficflows,suchasfreeflow tollingandtheLondongatewayport

•        Methodsbywhichthecongestionatthecurrentcrossingsmightbe improvedsuchasreducing the numberofjunctions on particular stretchesofroadandthe separation of trafficflowsjoiningtheM25

•        Thenegativeimpactontheenvironmentandthehealthoflocal people      of      the      continued      growth      of      road      freight

(iii)       ThattheargumentthatmovingthetollsatDartfordbya smalldistancewould improvetheir functionality wasnotsoundandthatevenifitweretoimprove briefly,theacknowledgementby the governmentthatbothOptions B andC wouldcreategrowthwouldmeanthatinthelongtermthetolls wouldnot performanybetter

(iv)               ThathebelievedthatoptionB wasunlikelytobechosenbytheGovernment as  it  would  put  at  risk  the  Paramount  development  and  associated  job creation.

(v)   That,ofOptionA andC hewasmostvehementlyopposedtooptionC and particularly the variantthatwouldgothroughtheNorthDowns.  This areawas Green beltland,a siteofnatural beauty,a siteofspecificscientificinterest, ancientwoodland,and a floodplain.  Itwould be unacceptabletobuilda major crossingthrough it.

(vi)               ThattheareathatwouldbemostaffectedbytheadoptionofoptionC already sufferedpoorairqualityfromitsproximitytotheA2.  To furthercompoundthat with another roadto the east would beunacceptable.

(vii)   That  Cabinet  be  requested  to  hold  the  submission  of  any responseuntilthe points raisedhad received responsesfromGovernment

(viii)  FinallyMrCallerexpressedhisdisappointmentthatmembers had nothadsufficient opportunity to inputintothesubmissionandinparticular thata drafthadnotbeensubmittedtotheEnvironment,Highwaysand Waste committee on 19June.

 

(4)     TheLeaderandCabinetMemberforBusinessStrategy,AuditandTransformation soughttoclarifyfor thosepresent,that, althoughnotunanimous,thegeneral consensusoftheCabinetandthereforetheresponsefromKCC wassupportfor OptionC.  Thissupportwasdependentonthecrossingbeingmadebytunneland not by bridge.  Hereportedthattheadministration hadseriousreservationsabout the creationofa linkroad fromtheA2totheoptionC locationandsaw no circumstances wherethedesecrationofShorneWoodwouldbeacceptable;indeedtherewere otherviableoptionsfora link roadintheareathatcouldavoid the woodland.

 

(5)     TheLeaderurgedthegovernmentnottoview the crossinginisolationfromthewider transportrequirementsinKent, as a reflectionofthisview the responsesought assurancesthattheGovernment would fundthebifurcationrequiredatDoverDocks, the country largestrollonrolloffdockandsignificantlink toNorthernEuropeantrade as wellasimprovements,toincludedualling,atLydden,worktoresolvecongestion at BrenleyCorneranda new,fitforpurposelinkbetweentheM2andtheM20that did not utiliseBluebellHill but which, by undertakingsignificant improvements, sought to employ the A249toprovidea moreeffective routebetweenDoveranda new crossingat the optionC location.

 

(6)     OptionC was,heargued,inthebestinterestsofboththeKent and thenational economies.

 

(7)     TheLeadercontinued,hugeeconomicgrowthwasplannedandpredicted forthe southofEnglandandthiswouldcertainly translateintoa significantincreaseinroad freight.  Asa resultthecouncil’sresponseaskedthattheprojectbeprogressedas rapidly as possible.  Hewaspleased that workdoneto date,sensibletolling and potentialchargesto the roadhaulageindustry wouldmean thatthewider improvements discussedcouldbebuiltwithoutrecoursetopublic funds.  The report accompanying the responsesto thegovernmentquestions articulated allofthese points and to thatend, as alreadydiscussed, anotewouldbeincludedoneachpage of the response thatdrewthe attentionof thereader to it.

 

(8)     TheCabinetMember for Transport andEnvironment,MrDavidBrazierspoketothe item.  HeparticularlywishedtorespondtothecommentsmadebyMrCallerandin doingso madethefollowingpoints:

 

(i)    ThattheDfTquestions anda proposedresponsewereconsideredbythe last   meeting   of   the   Environment   Highways   and   Waste   Cabinet CommitteeandthattheEnterprise and Environment Directoratehadalso providedformembersa briefingonthematterbothofwhichMrCaller hadattended.Theconsultationandresponsehadbeendiscussedat severallocalmeetingsandontheRadioKent debateinadditionto a meeting heldespecially for Graveshamlocal membersandseveralpublic meetings.Finallyhestressedthat anymember of the public may visit the DfTwebsite to respond totheconsultation.

(ii)    Thattheargumentthatthedecisionshouldnotbemadeuntiltheimpact of the changestotolling at Dartfordwereknownwasonewhichheheard oftenbutremainedunconvincedby.  Hebelievedthattheliftingoftolls would  certainly  ease  congestion  in  the  short  term  but  with  vehicle numberslikely toincreaseso significantly beforethenewcrossingwas openedin2025anyimprovement would have longsincebeenmitigated.

(iii)   Thatactionneededto be taken and that optionC was the onlyoption that wouldcreatethedesiredbenefits.   Option Awouldcompoundthe difficultiesalreadyexperiencedontheA2andA13andoptionB would not alleviatepressureontheEssex sideofthecrossing.  Meanwhile OptionC wouldachievethoseaims.  Furthermore,beinga stand-alone crossing,theoptionC proposalwouldprovidecontingencyfortimesin the futurewhen the Dartford crossing maybetemporarilyout of use.

 

(9)     TheLeaderreminded membersthatsomeyearsagoworkwasjointly commissioned withEssex CountyCounciltoassesspotentialcrossingpointsmoreeasterly thanthe one inoptionC.   Advicehadbeenreceivedatthattimethat costs escalated prohibitivelyfurther eastasthewidthoftheriverThamesincreasedasitapproached theestuary.  Indifficulteconomictimesthegovernmentmust,heargued,consider optionsthatwereaffordableanddeliverable.  Heconsideredita further potential benefitofoptionC that thisworkhadidentifiedanopportunitytolinka crossinginthe Gravesham area, not only with the M25 as the government was nowconsultingupon, but alsowith theM11.  Theidea had not beenwellreceivedat the time butwas nonethelessanoption for the futureshould thepreferredlocationinoptionC be agreed.

 

(10)   Mr Callersoughtandreceivedpermissionto respondtoa point madebyMrBrazier. He  clarified  that  his  concern  expressed  earlier  had  been  in  relation  to  the  full response not havingbeen available to members beforetoday, ratherthan acomment on the sufficiencyof engagementas awhole.

 

(11)   The Leaderapologisedagainthatthe fullresponsewasnotavailablesoonerbut reiteratedthatitwasdelayedbytheattempttoengageasfullyaspossibleandto fullyconsider andreflectwhere appropriateall of the concerns raised.

 

(12)   TheDirectorofPlanningandEnvironment, Mr PaulCrickspoketotheitemand specifically addressedtheissueoftheremovaloftollsatDartfordalready discussed. Hereferredmemberstothefigurescontainedinthereportwhichdescribedthe actualandpredicteduseofthecurrentcrossingatDartford.  Hereportedthatthe crossing  was  designed  for  a  capacity  usage  of  135,000  vehicles  per  day  and currently exceededthatnumberonfiveoutofsevendays.  Thetollswouldcurrently be discouragingsomevehicles from using the crossing and oncelifted,vehicle numberswerepredictedtoriseto180,000vehiclesa day.  Taken in conjunction with the  growth  predicted  from  developments  in  progress  these  figures  were  the motivationforthe council’s requestthatthe projectbeprogressed urgently.

 

(13)   The Leaderremarked that someyearsagoa surveywasconductedby theregional assemblythatidentifiedtheDartfordcrossingasoneofthemaininhibitorstoinward investmenttoKent, the notionthatitwasgridlockedby the M25 andthat many of thoseproblemswerecausedbytheinadequacyofthecurrentcrossings.   He,like others,welcomedtheremovaloftheneedtostoptollboothsbutregardeditasa short termeasement as opposedtoa longtermsolutionto the wider issueat hand.

 

(14)   TransportStrategy DeliveryManager,MsAnnCarrutherswasaskedtospeaktothe itemanddidso toexpandona point madebyMrCallerinhisearlierrepresentation. She remindedmembersthat althoughthegovernment acknowledgedinthe consultation papersthatallthreeoftheoptionswouldcreategrowthofbetween3% and 10% dependingontheparticularoption, in comparisonto thebackgroundgrowth predictedthe effectswouldbeminimal.

 

(15)   Mr HoldenreportedonbehalfofMrDance that following discussionswithEssex County Councilit wasclearthatit toowasmindedtosupport optionC inits response to Government.   MrCarteraddedthatthebusinesscommunitythroughvarious forumshad alsoexpressedsupportforoptionC.

 

(16)   TheCabinetMemberforCommercialandTraded Services,MrSweetlandspoketo the item.Heparticularlyreferred to thefollowing:

 

(i)      That hewasa localmemberintheGraveshamareamostaffected by the option C proposals.

(ii)  Thathehadnothadanopportunitytoreadtheresponseinfullbutwas content thatthe information within it wouldbealreadyin the public domain.

(iii)       Heconfirmedthat he andMr Caller hadbeenoffered andhadaccepted the opportunity to addresstheEnvironmentHighwaysand WasteCabinet Committeewhenithadconsidered the matter.  HethankedMrBrazier for the workwhichhad beendonefor thelocalGravesham membersin particular,referringtothemeeting for localmemberswhichhadbeen arranged.   Inadditiontherehadbeena largepublicmeetinginthelocal area,atwhichMrBrazierwaspresent.  Further to theseactivitiesMr Sweetlandreported thathe had attended 3 or4 meetingsorganisedby othersandasa resulthehadheardthe opinionsofthousands of local people

(iv)               Heaskedmemberstoconsidertheimmensityoftheproposalforresidents livinginthevicinity of theproposedcrossing.  Theschemedidnotpropose to expandorenlargeanexisting roadbutinstead to builda new four lane motorwaywhichwouldnecessarily requiredestruction of localcountryside. As a resultthoselivinginShorne andHighamhadalreadyreportedeffects on houseprices.

(v)   Thatfreeflowtollingwhilstwelcomedwasoverdueandheexpresseda desiretoseeitfinally implementednextyearaspromised.  Notonlywould thiseasethetrafficflowintheshorttermbutwouldalsobegintoimprove air qualityfor residentsofDartford,whereit hadbeenparticularlypoor.

(vi)               That residentsto the eastofGravesham were anxious that the air qualityin theirlocalitywouldsufferasa resultoftheproposalunderoptionC and hadnotedtheimpactonthehealthofresidentsinDartfordasevidence. They expressedconcernthat althoughthegovernment hadconducted financialandenvironmentalimpact assessmentsthey had not,for optionB orC,conductedanassessmentofthepotentialhealthimpact forresidents in the locality, a concernconfirmed by the Roads Ministerwhenresponding to aparliamentaryquestionto that effectby the Rt HonMr HollowayMP

(vii)   Thattheenvironmentalimpactswerewelldocumentedand highwithmany ofthe sitesaffected beingsubject toprotections of some form.

(viii)  Furthertocomments madeearlierthat  EssexCountyCouncil werealsomindedtosupportoptionC,MrSweetlandreportedthatthere wasa divergenceofviewswiththeregardtothetollswhichEssex County Council wouldrequest wereremovedimmediately.

(ix)               Thatthematterhadbeenwelldebatedandpublicinvolvementhadbeen high.  Hereiteratedthathehadheardmany concerns fromresidents within hisdivisionandsurroundingareasandhadrepresentedthoseviewsas fullyaspossibleatmeetingsanddebatestodate.  Asa result,hewished to recordhis dissent on this issue.

 

(17)   TheLeaderclosedthedebate.  Heexpressedconcernthatitwouldbedifficult to convincethegovernment not tochooseOption A atDartfordandbelievedthat Cwas appropriateforwhatwasa uniqueopportunity fortheGovernmenttopursuethebest interestofKent,the south ofEnglandandthenation’seconomy.

 

(18)   He suggested thatshouldit becomeappropriateworkwouldbeconductedto assess the options for a linkroadthatwouldamelioratedamagetoShornewoodsand establish fully howfar it wasnecessaryfor any tunneltoimpactonandaroundthe Graveshamarea.

 

(19)   He reported that a decisionwould be announced by theDfTin the autumn 2013 as to which optionfurther work would beconductedon.

 

(20)   TheLeader notedthedissentofBryanSweetland on thematter and expressed concernfortheviewsofthoseaffectedbutnotedthattheformalresponsewasto support option Candwould besubmittedthe next day.