Stephen Metcalfe and
Jackie Doyle Price, local Members of Parliament for South Basildon & East
Thurrock, and Thurrock respectively, together with other colleagues today met
with the Prime Minister to discuss options for a Lower Thames Crossing.
The meeting, set up
following a recent Prime Minister Question asked by Stephen Metcalfe, was an
opportunity for colleagues with an interest in the Lower Thames Crossing to
explain to the PM their concerns about the impact of the current proposed
options.
Stephen, who continues to
oppose both options, said after the meeting: “It was a constructive meeting,
during which the Prime Minister listened carefully to the arguments and agreed to talk to both the Chancellor and the
Minister responsible about our various points.”
“While the five of us do
not necessarily agree about the problems with Options A and C, we do agree that
there are wider considerations such as pushing the problem of congestion
elsewhere and promoting growth that need to be looked at.”
The group told
the PM that the current options were designed to address a question posed a
decade ago to relieve congestion at the existing crossing. What neither option does is to maximise the huge
growth potential that exists in South Essex or Kent.
Jackie Doyle Price said:
“I emphasised that the current options would simply put more traffic on
the A13 and the M25. The Prime Minister is fully aware of the problems
caused by gridlock at the Dartford crossing and the need for a new Lower Thames
crossing must alleviate that congestion. We were able to make the case
for looking again at options D and E which would facilitate the construction of
a new outer ring to complement the M25."
Also in attendance were
the three Members of Parliament from Kent, Tracey Crouch, Adam Holloway and
Gareth Johnson.
