Stephen Metcalfe, local MP
for South Basildon and East Thurrock, has reiterated his opposition to Option C
in the new lower Thames crossing proposals in a letter to Councillor Gerard
Rice, Chair of Thurrock Council’s Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview
and Scrutiny Committee.
In the letter Mr Metcalfe
stresses that Option C, which proposes to connect the M2 with the A13 and M25
between junctions 29 and 30, would be particularly detrimental to the local
area, dividing historic communities, destroying greenbelt land, and changing
the very nature of South Essex forever.
The local MP who has
staunchly opposed the proposals at every turn commented: “Whilst I agree with
the Government that something needs to be done to relieve the congestion at the
Dartford Crossing, I do not think that Option C is the solution.”
“As I communicated to
Thurrock Council, the economic benefits would bypass Thurrock leaving local
people with a crossing that they do not want and a local area that has been
irrevocably changed at the expense of invaluable greenbelt land.”
Option C is by far the
most expensive of the three options currently under consideration, which also
include:
·
Option A: at the site of the existing A282 Dartford
-Thurrock river crossing
·
Option B: connecting the A2 with the A1089
·
A variant for option C which would additionally widen the
A229 between the M2 and M20
Mr Metcalfe urged the
Government to broaden the scope of the consultation to include the option for
an additional crossing between Thurrock and the City of London, and for the
original option of an outer London ring road to be re-examined before any final
decisions about crossings in Thurrock are made.
The local MP added: “I would
once again urge my constituents to make their views known in the consultation
which can be completed online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/options-for-a-new-lower-thames-crossing.”
“I will continue to do all I
can to ensure that the opposition to Option C is heard and I hope that we can
eventually reach a solution that alleviates the current congestion problems
without disadvantaging local people.”
