February 2017 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation Analysis of findings report FINAL VERSION 15-081993-01 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation | Final | Client Use Only | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Highways England 2017 Ipsos MORI | Lower Thames Crossing Consultation – Final Summary Report © 2017 Ipsos MORI – all rights reserved. The contents of this report constitute the sole and exclusive property of Ipsos MORI. Ipsos MORI retains all right, title and interest, including without limitation copyright, in or to any Ipsos MORI trademarks, technologies, methodologies, products, analyses, software and know-how included or arising out of this report or used in connection with the preparation of this report. No license under any copyright is hereby granted or implied. 15-081993-01 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation | Final | Internal and Client use | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Highways England 2017 15-081993-01 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation | Final | Client Use Only | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Highways England 2017 Ipsos MORI | Lower Thames Crossing Consultation – Final Summary Report Contents 1 Overview of the consultation .................................................................................................... 2 2 The consultation process ........................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Taking part in the consultation ....................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 The response form and consultation questions ............................................................................................ 7 2.3 The timing of the consultation ........................................................................................................................ 7 3 Responses to the consultation .................................................................................................. 9 3.1 Number of responses ........................................................................................................................................ 9 3.2 How members of the public heard about the consultation ...................................................................... 10 3.3 Bespoke responses ........................................................................................................................................... 10 3.4 Organised campaign responses ..................................................................................................................... 10 3.5 Petitions ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 3.6 Analysis of responses ...................................................................................................................................... 13 3.7 Interpreting the consultation findings ......................................................................................................... 13 3.8 Free-text responses ......................................................................................................................................... 14 3.9 Reading this report .......................................................................................................................................... 15 4 Analysis of responses ............................................................................................................... 18 4.1 Views on the proposed location of the crossing ......................................................................................... 18 4.2 Views on the proposed routes north of the River Thames ........................................................................ 36 4.3 Views on the proposed routes south of the River Thames ....................................................................... 58 4.4 Views on the proposed scheme ..................................................................................................................... 79 4.5 Views on additional junctions ..................................................................................................................... 106 4.6 Further comments ......................................................................................................................................... 125 4.7 Organised campaigns ................................................................................................................................... 134 4.8 Petitions ......................................................................................................................................................... 149 APPENDICES Appendix A: Consultation questionnaire ............................................................................................................. 152 Appendix B: Technical note on coding................................................................................................................. 160 Appendix C: Stakeholder organisations ............................................................................................................... 163 Appendix D: Profile of individuals ........................................................................................................................ 176 Appendix E: Glossary of terms ............................................................................................................................... 178 15-081993-01 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation | Final | Client Use Only | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Highways England 2017 Ipsos MORI | Lower Thames Crossing Consultation – Final Summary Report 1 Overview of the consultation 15-081993-01 Lower Thames Crossing Consultation | Final | Client Use Only | This work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of the international quality standard for Market Research, ISO 20252:2012, and with the Ipsos MORI Terms and Conditions which can be found at http://www.ipsos-mori.com/terms. © Highways England 2017 Ipsos MORI | Lower Thames Crossing Consultation – Final Summary Report 2 1 Overview of the consultation This report relates to the ‘Lower Thames Crossing Consultation’ run by Highways England from 26 January to 24 March 2016 1. In 2009, the Department for Transport (DfT) commissioned a study, which identified five possible locations for a Lower Thames crossing that would ease congestion at the existing Dartford Crossing. Of the five locations considered, the two most easterly locations were ruled out and not pursued any further. In 2012, the DfT looked at three locations for a new crossing of the Thames between Dartford and east of Gravesend. These were known as Locations A, B and C. There was also a proposal for Option C Variant (additionally widening the A229 between the M2 and the M20). In 2013 the DfT ran a public consultation inviting views on the need for a crossing and where to locate it (‘Options for a New Lower Thames Crossing’2). Following further investigation of the three options and taking into account responses from the 2013 consultation, the Government asked Highways England to consider options at two of these locations - Location A (a new proposed crossing close to the existing crossing at Dartford) and Location C (a new proposed crossing to connect the A2/M2 to the M25 via the A13), with or without C Variant. After thorough assessment, Highways England determined that Location C was its proposed solution (see Figure 1.1). During their assessment of the options for a new crossing, Highways England considered whether widening the A229 between the M2 and the M20 (known as C Variant) would be a necessary part of a new crossing. Their assessment has concluded that this upgrade would have limited benefits, high environmental impact and high cost and is not essential as part of a new crossing scheme. Highways England will give further consideration to this link separately as part of Highways England’s ongoing regional route planning. In order to gain the thoughts of members of the public and stakeholder organisations, Highways England decided to conduct a major public consultation. This consultation would cover not just attitudes to the proposed route, but alternative ideas and suggestions that participants may have about the proposed crossing. The Lower Thames Crossing Consultation covered a number of aspects relating to the proposal to build a new crossing across the River Thames and the connection of a new proposed crossing to the existing strategic road network. In particular, this consultation covered: The preference of Location C for a new crossing; Options for routes