Cabinet Item No. 8 4 SEPTEMBER 2003 Report No: 0306028

8. PROPOSED RIVER CROSSING IN THE SUB- REGION

Report by: Portfolio Member for Highways, Transport, Europe and the Regions.

Wards: All

1. Summary:

1.1 Thurrock Council welcomes the potential improvement to regeneration prospects in the Thames Gateway through the construction of a Thames Gateway Bridge. However this should be incorporated as part of a package of other river crossings in the East London area.

1.2 Furthermore the river crossings in East London should reflect the potential for an additional , the investigation of which is at a less advanced stage as the East London river crossings.

1.3 Tolls from the Dartford River Crossing should continue to fund local sustainable public transport projects in the Dartford and Thurrock areas. Any hypothecation of tolls towards a bridge up stream should only be a proportion of the overall tolls.

1.4 Thurrock Council would wish to be involved in discussions refining any such funding arrangements. The continued provision of a foot passenger ferry at Tilbury to Gravesend should also be incorporated into an overall package study. There is the potential to develop and enhance this crossing.

2. Recommendations:

2.1 To agree the proposed observations on the ’s consultation on the Thames Gateway Bridge as forming the Council’s response to the consultation exercise.

2.2 Specifically to agree the comments regarding the channelling of the funding from the Dartford River Crossing Tolls to a Thames Gateway Bridge. Contact Officer: Paul Shelley, 01375 652267, [email protected]  Strategy

 Policy

Performance

Other - please identify

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3. Introduction/background information: (Including risk assessment)

3.1 (TFL), a body answerable to the Mayor of London Have published an interim technical summary for the Thames Gateway Bridge.

3.2 Specifically, TFL are seeking views about the bridge as follows: -

 If you support the idea  Whether you think you might use the bridge  What sort of public transport services should be provided across it  Proposed measures to discourage use of the bridge by long distance traffic  Proposed measures to discourage traffic from using nearby residential streets  What you think should happen to the if the bridge opens

3.3 The Thames Gateway Bridge would link and . The present proposal envisages two lanes of general traffic and a dedicated lane for public transport in each direction. There would also be dedicated cycle and pedestrian lanes. It is currently planned that the bridge would be tolled with local people paying a lower rate.

3.4 The bridge itself forms part of the broader plans for the regeneration of the area which are being carried forward by a number of organisations and public bodies, including central government. The intended role for the bridge is to address the problem of poor transport links in East London.

4. The Impact on Thurrock: 4.1 The proposals are part of the package of four potential river crossings between the and Barking Reach. These are an extension of the to Woolwich Arsenal, the Thames Gateway Bridge, the link between North Greenwich and the and the branch cross rail through Canary Wharf to the North Kent line. 4.2 The Woolwich crossing and cross rail will progress separately because of different funding regimes and programmed timetables. However all of these crossings will have a complementary impact and effect. The Thames Gateway River Crossings Report published by TFL in 2001 indicated substantial employment and development benefits from delivery of additional river crossings. This is consistent with the regeneration objectives of the Thames Gateway London Partnership, and by association, the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership.

4.3 Thus, the regeneration effects of a new bridge as part of a package of additional river crossings in the East London area is to be welcomed.

4.4 However, there are two main areas of concern to Thurrock Council: -

1. Use of Dartford River Crossing Tolls. 2. Integration with down river crossing proposals.

5. Dartford Crossing Tolls:

5.1 here is a suggestion that the funding for the Thames Gateway Bridge at Beckton could be achieved by the hypothecation of tolls from the Dartford River Crossing. This is considered to be unacceptable, or at the very least should be quantified. Government commitments last year provided for the allocation of funding from the Dartford River Crossing tolls to local public transport improvement schemes. These were welcomed and proposals were included in Thurrock Council Local Transport Plan Annual Progress Report (LTP APR) if, as suggestion, there is a hypothecation of tolls to the funding of the new Thames Gateway Bridge, then this would divert finance from various local proposals. Such local proposals are logically designed to improve public transport facilities (e.g. Tilbury Ferry) and thus reduce the number of vehicle movements at the Dartford Crossing. These proposals should remain with suitable funding. Therefore there needs to be significant clarification of any proposals to hypothecate tolls to the bridge proposal at Beckton.

6. Lower Thames Crossing:

6.1 There have been various proposals involving the potential to introduce a Lower Thames Crossing. These have included: -

 ORBIT study of M25  Airports in the South East Consultation  Marinair Thames Estuary proposal  Government commissioned study in early 1990’s

6.2 A study is now being undertaken on behalf of the Department of Transport to assess all of the various proposals and work completed to date. An additional lower Thames crossing is a vital factor in the regeneration of the Thames Gateway South Essex and North Kent areas. It is possible that funding for any such crossing proposal would also be forthcoming from hypothecation of Dartford Crossing Tolls.

6.3 Thus, the transport for London consultation report should include a reference and acknowledgement to the longer-term proposals for an additional Lower Thames crossing.

7. Financial Implications:

7.1 The potential hypothecation of Dartford River Crossing tolls to the Thames Gateway Bridge proposals could prejudice capital and revenue schemes related to local transport within Thurrock.

8. Legal Implications: (including Human Rights)

8.1 None at present

9. Diversity Implications:

9.1 No diversity implications

Background Documents

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