PRESS RELEASE 20 FEBRUARY 2006

Bexley Council as well as experts commissioned by objectors have called into doubt the reliability of TfL’s latest traffic forecasts. Bexley report that there are still many locations where there are significant discrepancies in Bexley as well as in other boroughs such as Greenwich. Professor Whitelegg on behalf of objectors says, “the results are unstable and unreliable.”

Bexley Council report that many of Bexley’s residential roads are incapable of adequately catering for the increase in traffic flows. They say, “…very large numbers of Bexley residents would suffer from increased traffic levels as a result of the bridge and yet gain little, if any, benefit…. The reduced toll discount area will not be supported by Bexley.”

Evidence already presented to the Inquiry by TfL’s expert Professor Rosewell, has shown that there will be limited regeneration in Bexley as a result of the bridge. Her new evidence has been unable to show that more than 500 jobs may be created in Bexley and it could be as low as zero.

Professor Whitelegg says “The impact of the increased tolling and reduced area of residents discount has produced a reduction in 25% of the regeneration benefits….This reduction is unprecedented and remarkable in a scheme that has argued from the outset that its principal objective is to address disadvantageness and deprivation in east London boroughs. The impact of the changes reported by TfL is to cancel those claimed benefits for a significant proportion of the population of the London Borough of Bexley.”

Jacqui Wise on behalf of AGAB & SMRA says, “Erith and North End are both in the top quartile of deprived wards in England and yet have been excluded from the residents discount area along with Belvedere, Crayford and Northumberland Heath which are in the next quartile of deprived wards in England.” I strongly agree with Professor Whitelegg when he says, “The conclusion I draw from this is that the regeneration arguments are not as strong as TfL claim.”

There is no guarantee that the tolling levels and discount area under discussion at the Inquiry are settled, as the final decision will be for the Mayor of London. Bexley Council say, “Greenwich Members have indicated the desire for the whole Borough to be in the discount area and Barking has a similar desire.”

TfL claim that with the new tolling regime a certain amount of traffic will divert southwards to the A2 and along to the Blackwall Tunnel. Bexley Council say “There must come a point where congestion in and approaching the tunnel is so high as to divert traffic back onto the TGB. This would then require traffic to head north towards the river instead of south towards the A2 as suggested, increasing environmental impact on the residential area south of the A206.”

This whole fiasco is summed up well by Professor Whitelegg in his conclusion “The inquiry is sitting in a football stadium and is trying very hard to assess the trajectory of a football and whether or not it will get into the goal area when both the ball and the goal posts are the subject of continuous re-design. This is most unsatisfactory.”

The Thames Gateway Bridge Inquiry is due to reconvene at 10am on Tuesday 21 February 2006 at Charlton Athletic Football Club. An evening session of the Inquiry will be held from 7pm-10pm on Monday 13 March 2006 at the Applegarth Suite, Marriot Hotel, Bexleyheath. Anyone wishing to speak can register with the Inquiry manager on 020 8333 4027 or 01403 219899.

All quotes have been taken from supplementary evidence submitted to the Inquiry last week. These reports can be found on the Inquiry website at http://www.persona.uk.com/thamesgateway/index.htm

Jacqui & Steve Wise

Action Group Against the Bridge (AGAB) Contact 020 8301 4243

Terry Grant