Minutes:
Tim Jones (Project Director for the Lower Thames Crossing) and Phil Stanier (Government and Industry Manager for the Lower Thames Crossing) were in attendance for this item.
1. Mr M Whiting (Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste) welcomed guests from Highways England. As part of the consultation period, Highways England agreed to present the new design proposals of the Lower Thames Crossing to the Committee and sought Members feedback. Mr Whiting informed the Committee that Kent County Council’s response to the Lower Thames Crossing was due to be submitted on 20 December 2018 and asked that Members directed their queries to either Joe Ratcliffe (Transport Strategy Manager) or to Highways England.
2. In response to questions and comments, the officers provided the following information:
(a) The Lower Thames Crossing would provide an additional 90% capacity to relieve the traffic congestion on the Dartford Crossing and relieve the accumulation of likely traffic in the future.
(b) The Lower Thames Crossing project would not be investing money into the roads identified by the Committee, instead it would act as a catalyst for producing a traffic model and ensure the correct dialogue took place between Kent County Council and Highways England for possible future investment into the Kent road network. In reference to comments regarding the A229, Mr Jones acknowledged the current congestion issues and said that one of the objectives was to ensure that the RES2 period coincided with the Lower Thames Crossing proposal period which would perhaps prompt the review and feasibility work for the A229 corridor.
(c) The Dartford tunnel was considered to be performing below the capacity required in order to withstand the pressure of 170,000 vehicles per day. The proposed Lower Thames Crossing would lessen the pressure on Dartford Crossing and divert 40% of the traffic which was primarily Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s). The Lower Thames Crossing would also be a category A tunnel which would permit larger vehicles with abnormal loads using the crossing without an escort.
(d) Mr Jones agreed to revise the map and provide clarity of borders between Dover and Folkestone.
(e) Mr Jones advised the Committee that the issues concerning the toll charge for foreign lorries was an operational issue for Highways England and advice had been sought from Government regarding Highways England’s authority to stop and check the vehicles. Highways England was reviewing the possibility of digital tracking systems that could be built into the road network.
(f) Upon completion of the work, the land would be handed back to property owners and was a matter for Kent County Council.
(g) Mr Jones assured the Committee that ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses to the Lower Thames Crossing consultation were not discarded, however, in order for the Secretary of State to form a decision as to whether the Lower Thames Crossing could be built, the responses to the consultation required greater sustenance around the design implications.
(h) Mr Jones welcomed the invite from Mr S Holden to attend the HGV sub-group.
3. Mrs Stewart assured the Committee that Joe Ratcliffe (Transport Strategy Manager) and Nola Cooper (Senior Transport Planner) had captured all comments from Members throughout the duration of the Committee and these would be incorporated into Kent County Council’s response to Highways England and the final response would be shared with the Committee at an appropriate future date. Mrs Stewart drew Members attention to the impact that the Lower Thames Crossing would have on Shorn Country Park which was one of Kent County Council’s assets and a request to safeguard this had also been included within the response.
4. RESOLVED that the information set out in the presentation and given in response to comments and questions be noted.