My statement following the Transport Secretary's announcement of a new Lower Thames Crossing

I am obviously very disappointed and upset by the announcement today that the Secretary of State for Transport will proceed with Highways England's recommendation for a New Lower Thames Crossing at location C and with route 3.

I feel we made a good argument against Option C and associated routes and was convinced we had built a strong case in favour of sorting out the existing crossing before proceeding with any new crossings.

Despite this I am pleased that the Secretary of State has said he looked closely at our arguments and considered alternatives but regret that he did not fully accept our points and has pushed ahead with what I believe to be a flawed decision.

I still believe Option C and route 3 is a mistake in terms of addressing my constituents' concerns about air quality and congestion and I will not stop making that point until the very last moment.

My main concern continues to be that if and when a new crossing is built, if it fails to solve the actual problem, there will be outrage from me and my constituents. There will be anger that our views were not listened to and we will be asking how we made such an error?

While I am disappointed by the decision and will still fundamentally oppose Option C3, I will want to engage with the Department for Transport and Highways England as they come forward with the detailed designs to mitigate its impact as much as possible.

Highways England have a duty to properly engage with local residents and treat them with the respect and dignity they deserve. I will be working with everyone involved to reduce the footprint of the junctions, crossing and associated roads as much as possible so as to save some of Thurrock's green and pleasant land!

Immediately however, I will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport to express our concerns about the decision and call for proper mitigation and consultation. I will also be asking the Secretary of State to meet with local residents to explain how the decision was arrived at so they can understand why our calls for an alternative solution have not been successful.

Lower Thames Crossing meeting with Roads Minister

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has met with local campaigners and councillors to discuss Lower Thames Crossing plans with Roads Minister Andrew Jones MP.

(l-r) George Abbott, Matt Jackson, Andrew Jones MP,
Cllr John Kent, Cllr Brian Little, and Stephen Metcalfe MP

At the private meeting, which took place yesterday in Westminster, the group discussed the recent Highways England consultation that received in excess of 30,000 responses and sought assurances from the minister that no final decision has been taken on plans for the new crossing.

Also in attendance were Cllr John Kent, Leader of Thurrock Council, Orsett Cllr Brian Little, Chair of the Transport scrutiny committee, and local resident campaigners George Abbott and Matt Jackson.

Mr Metcalfe commented: "I was pleased to help organise this productive meeting with the minister from the Department for Transport, Andrew Jones MP.

"We all made the case to the minister that the Lower Thames Crossing will involve huge levels of investment and that the ongoing process must be handled carefully and properly.

"The minister assured us that no decision has yet been made. He agreed that he would consider the points we made about problems with the existing crossing and Option C, and that he would also investigate how the possibility of a crossing further east from Option C came to be discounted."

He added: "The Lower Thames Crossing is a key issue for our area and it is crucial that the right decision is made. I will keep working hard to ensure that our local communities have a voice in Westminster."

Stephen Metcalfe MP welcomes c2c deal bringing thousands of extra train seats for commuters

Stephen Metcalfe, Member of Parliament for South Basildon & East Thurrock, has welcomed the announcement by train operator c2c that commuters are to benefit from 13,000 extra seats at peak times every week.

Stephen meeting with Rail Minister Claire Perry MP

A new deal between c2c and the Department for Transport will deliver 24 brand-new additional carriages in 2016 - three years earlier than previously planned.

Subject to the final signing of contracts, the new carriages will start entering passenger service this October, with all of the new trains to be delivered by the end of the year.

Mr Metcalfe commented: "I am delighted that a deal has been reached between c2c and the Department for Transport, bringing thousands of much-needed extra seats to commuters who use the busy rail service.

"For months, John Baron MP and I have been working with both c2c and the government to help find a way forward. I have met with c2c and the minister from the Department for Transport, Claire Perry, on a number of occasions and I am pleased that diligent, behind-the-scenes hard work on all sides has delivered a good outcome for everyone involved.

"I am now in the process of arranging a meeting between passengers and c2c to start to get both sides working together. It is vital that the good news does not stop here and that commuters who rely upon efficient train links to London see even more improvements in future."