Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text 19/02/18 Status: A1 Signed Off - Publication Document Ref: HE543917-ATK-EAC-RP-LM-000001.Docx
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Et12 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text 19/02/18 Status: A1 Signed off - Publication Document Ref: HE543917-ATK-EAC-RP-LM-000001.docx Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text Notice This document and its contents have been prepared and are intended solely for Highways England’s information and use in relation to A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvement Atkins Limited assumes no responsibility to any other party in respect of or arising out of or in connection with this document and/or its contents. This document has 183 pages including the cover. Document history Job number: HE543917 Document ref: HE543917-ATK-EAC-RP-LM-000001 Purpose Revision Status Originated Checked Reviewed Authorised Date description Issue for C03 A1 AR LJB AMB CH 19/02/18 Consultation C02 B1 For HE 2nd Review AR LJB AMB AEM 16/02/18 For Initial Review & C01 A1 AR LJB AMB CH 26/01/18 Comment Client signoff Client Highways England Project A2 Bean Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Document title Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Job no. HE543917 Copy no. Document HE543917-ATK-EAC-RP-LM-000001 C03 reference Status A1 Signed off - Publication Revision C03 Page 2 of 183 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text Table of contents Chapter Pages Volume 1 7 Chapter 1 - Introduction 8 1.1. Overview of project 8 1.2. Purpose of the Preliminary Environmental Information Report (PEIR) 9 1.3. Preliminary design pre-application consultation 11 1.4. Competent experts 11 Chapter 2 - The Project 12 2.1. Need for the project 12 2.2. Project objectives 13 2.3. Key environmental constraints 14 2.4. Project description 15 2.5. Construction, operation and long-term management 18 2.6. Preliminary Outline Environmental Design 19 Chapter 3 - Assessment of Alternatives 21 3.2. Development of alternatives 21 3.3. Long list options 21 3.4. Short list options 22 3.5. Preferred option 23 Chapter 4 - Environmental Assessment Methodology 24 4.2. EIA stages 24 4.3. Baseline 25 4.4. Study area 25 4.5. Design and mitigation process 25 4.6. Assessment years and scenarios 26 4.7. Identification of potential effects 26 4.8. Assessment of significance 27 4.9. Cumulative effects 29 4.10. Major accidents and disasters 30 4.11. Dealing with uncertainty 30 4.12. Transboundary impact screening 31 4.13. Habitat Regulations Screening 31 4.14. Health Impact Assessment and Equalities Impact Assessment 31 Chapters 5-15 32 Chapter 5 - Air Quality 33 5.1. Introduction 33 5.2. Consultation 33 5.3. Baseline conditions 33 5.4. Potential impacts 36 5.5. Potential mitigation measures 40 5.6. Residual impacts 40 5.7. Cumulative effects 41 5.8. NPS compliance 41 5.9. Assumptions and limitations 41 5.10. Summary 41 Chapter 6 - Noise and Vibration 43 6.1. Introduction 43 6.2. Consultation 43 6.3. Baseline conditions 43 6.4. Potential impacts 44 6.5. Potential mitigation measures 47 6.6. Residual impacts 49 6.7. Cumulative effects 49 Revision C03 Page 3 of 183 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text 6.8. NPS compliance 50 6.9. Assumptions and limitations 50 6.10. Summary 50 Chapter 7 - Biodiversity 52 7.1. Introduction 52 7.2. Consultation 52 7.3. Baseline conditions 53 7.4. Potential impacts 62 7.5. Potential mitigation measures 66 7.6. Residual impacts 68 7.7. Cumulative effects 68 7.8. NPS compliance 70 7.9. Assumptions and limitations 70 7.10. Summary 71 Chapter 8 - Road Drainage and the Water Environment 72 8.1. Introduction 72 8.2. Consultation 72 8.3. Baseline conditions 73 8.4. Potential impacts 74 8.5. Potential mitigation measures 75 8.6. Residual impacts 78 8.7. Cumulative effects 78 8.8. NPS compliance 79 8.9. Assumptions and limitations 79 8.10. Summary 79 Chapter 9 - Landscape 80 9.1. Introduction 80 9.2. Consultation 80 9.3. Baseline conditions 80 9.4. Potential impacts 82 9.5. Potential mitigation measures 84 9.6. Residual impacts 85 9.7. Cumulative effects 85 9.8. NPS compliance 86 9.9. Assumptions and limitations 86 9.10. Summary 86 Chapter 10 - Geology and Soils 88 10.1. Introduction 88 10.2. Consultation 89 10.3. Baseline conditions 89 10.4. Potential impacts 101 10.5. Potential mitigation measures 106 10.6. Residual impacts 108 10.7. Cumulative effects 109 10.8. NPS compliance 109 10.9. Assumptions and limitations 110 10.10. Summary 110 Chapter 11 - Cultural Heritage 111 11.1. Introduction 111 11.2. Consultation 111 11.3. Baseline conditions 113 11.4. Potential impacts 118 11.5. Potential mitigation measures 120 11.6. Residual impacts 121 11.7. Cumulative effects 121 11.8. NPS compliance 122 11.9. Assumptions and limitations 122 11.10. Summary 122 Revision C03 Page 4 of 183 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text Chapter 12 - Materials and Waste 124 12.1. Introduction 124 12.2. Consultation 124 12.3. Baseline conditions 124 12.4. Potential impacts 126 12.5. Potential mitigation measures 126 12.6. Residual impacts 129 12.7. Cumulative effects 129 12.8. NPS compliance 130 12.9. Assumptions and limitations 130 12.10. Summary 131 Chapter 13 - People and Communities 132 13.1. Introduction 132 13.2. Consultation 132 13.3. Baseline conditions 132 13.4. Potential impacts 136 13.5. Potential mitigation measures 140 13.6. Residual impacts 141 13.7. Cumulative effects 141 13.8. NPS compliance 142 13.9. Assumptions and limitations 142 13.10. Summary 142 Chapter 14 - Climate 144 14.1. Introduction 144 14.2. Consultation 144 14.3. Baseline conditions 144 14.4. Potential impacts 146 14.5. Potential mitigation measures 149 14.6. Residual impacts 150 14.7. Cumulative effects 150 14.8. NPS compliance 150 14.9. Assumptions and limitations 151 14.10. Summary 152 Chapter 15 - Assessment of Cumulative Effects 153 15.1. Introduction 153 15.2. Potential impacts 153 15.3. Assumptions and limitations 153 15.4. Summary 154 Chapter 16 - Summary 155 Chapter 17 - References and Glossary 160 17.1. General References 160 17.2. Chapter 5 Air Quality 160 17.3. Chapter 6 Noise and Vibration 162 17.4. Chapter 7 Biodiversity 163 17.5. Chapter 8 Road Drainage and Water Environment References 164 17.6. Chapter 9 Landscape 165 17.7. Chapter 10 Geology and Soils 165 17.8. Chapter 11 Cultural Heritage 167 17.9. Chapter 12 Materials and Waste 168 17.10. Chapter 13 People and Communities 169 17.11. Chapter 14 Climate 169 17.12. Chapter 15 Assessment of Cumulative Effects 171 Tables Table 1.1: Structure and contents of the PEIR 10 Table 3.1: Rejected long list options 22 Table 4.1: Significance of effects 28 Revision C03 Page 5 of 183 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text Table 4.2: Descriptors of the Significance of Effect Categories 28 Table 16.1: Summary of impacts 156 Figures Figure 5.1: Windrose for Gravesend meteorological station (2016) 37 Figure 12.1: CD&E mitigation measures 127 Figure 12.2: Operational mitigation measures 129 Revision C03 Page 6 of 183 Volume 1 Regional Investment Programme A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junction Improvements Preliminary Environmental Information Report Volume 1 – Main Text Chapter 1 - Introduction 1.1. Overview of project 1.1.1. The Initial Strategy Shaping and Prioritisation study on improvement options for both junctions was originally carried out by Highways Agency in 2008. As a result of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review in 2010 the funding commitment to the Kent Thameside Strategic Transport Programme (STP) by the DfT was withdrawn. The Regional Transport Programme and its funding stream was also abolished and, as the two schemes had not reached the stage where they could be considered for inclusion in the Highways Agency’s Major Schemes Programme, the funding allocations were lost and no further work was undertaken by the Highways Agency until resurrection of the schemes as part of the 2013 Spending Review (SR13). 1.1.2. In December 2014, the Department for Transport (DfT) published its Road Investment Strategy (RIS) for 2015-2020, announcing £15 billion to invest in England’s strategic road network between 2015 and 2020. The RIS sets out the list of schemes that are to be delivered by Highways England over the period covered by the RIS (2015 - 2020). Highways England responded to the RIS with the Highways England Delivery Plan (2015) and a number of schemes have been identified to be constructed within the plan period, including improvements to the A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet Junctions (the Scheme). 1.1.3. As shown on Figure 1.1 in the PEIR Volume 3, the Scheme is located between Dartford and Gravesend in north Kent. Improvements are required at both Bean and Ebbsfleet Junctions to improve capacity and manage forecasted increases in traffic. Bean Junction is the first junction on the A2 to the east of the M25. The existing A2 highway through the study area is a 4-lane dual all-purpose road that reduces to 3-lanes through Bean Junction. 1.1.4. The Scheme comprises adjacent grade-separated junctions at Bean and Ebbsfleet, approximately 1.2 miles (2 km) apart on the A2 trunk road.