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Bridge inquiry to reconvene
Bexley Council has joined local campaigners in welcoming the news that the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, has decided to defer a decision on the Thames Gateway Bridge and reconvene the public inquiry into the controversial scheme.
“This is a victory for the people of Bexley and for all those who have campaigned for the inquiry to be reconvened - although I am disappointed that the Secretary of State has not accepted the inspector’s recommendations and simply refused the application,” said Cllr Clement. “It is clear that they have got a result they didn’t want and have decided to ignore the inspector.”
“We were told this was a battle we couldn’t win, but today’s decision vindicates the stance we have taken since May 2006. It’s also a tribute to the work of Jacqui Wise and the Action Group Against the Bridge. Without their conscience and drive and the way we have worked together, we could never have succeeded.
“Even recently the Mayor of London and senior people at Transport for London have been claiming that there was no case for reopening the inquiry.”
The original inquiry ran between 7th July 2005 and 3th May 2006. Bexley Council has made repeated calls for it to be reconvened because of recent changes at the Blackwall Tunnel instituted by the Mayor of London and the toll increases at the Dartford Crossing.
“It is now up to us to work together to ensure that the Thames Gateway Bridge does not go ahead in the form that was proposed,” said Cllr Clement. “We have won the battle. Our next task is to win the war.”
All the parties involved have been asked how much time they need to prepare for the reconvened inquiry, which will be organised by the Planning Inspectorate at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Erith and Thamesmead MP, John Austin has welcomed the decision, John Austin had written to the Transport Minister in October 2006 calling for the Inquiry to be reopened to take account of the implications on traffic forecasts of changes to the Dartford Crossing tolls and had made further representations in May of this year. he had also tabled Parliamentary Questions asking for the Inquiry to be reopened And more recently had raised the issue again in a debate on the changes to the tidal flow at the Blackwall Tunnel.
John Austin said: “The battle is not yet won but the Secretary of State has raised questions about the evidence of the regeneration benefits of the Bridge.
I challenged the assumptions about job creation at the Inquiry. In our initial submission to the Inquiry Clive Efford (MP for Eltham) and I said ‘Although extravagant claims have been made about the contribution the bridge will make to regeneration and job creation there is very little detailed evidence of what kind of jobs it will create. We would expect to see detailed estimates of the types of jobs to be created and plans for meeting those new demands through the development of new training opportunities. The approach seems to be wait and see, on the assumption that jobs of some kind or other will be generated. This appears to be a form of trickle down economics and we believe that a more specific estimate of the type of jobs and who will benefit should be made before the TGB can be given approval. We agree with Professor Whiteleg that an assumption has been made that if the bridge is built then jobs will be created. This is not the basis on which a scheme of this magnitude, particularly one with such far reaching consequences, should be approved’
John Austin questioned the assumptions on job creation and argued that the evidence did not explain how these jobs would be created nor did it address the fundamental issues which should go with a discussion on job creation such as what kind of jobs, the local skills base, the need for education and training. At the Inquiry I said “If there are new jobs but a deficiency of skills in the local labour market, this will just encourage the transfer in of people with the necessary skills, perhaps commuting long distances, taking advantage of the new road”. John Austin continued “Now that the Inquiry is to be reopened it will be for the supporters of the Bridge to show how jobs will be created.”
MP David Evennett, along with local campaigners led by Jacqui Wise of The Action Group Against The Bridge, has continued to oppose the project after new plans were announced for the Dartford Crossing which may have affected the traffic forecasts submitted by TfL.
Mr Evennett commented “I am bitterly disappointed that the Secretary of State did not heed the Inspector’s report and kill the Thames Gateway Bridge proposal outright. We have a big job ahead of us when the Inquiry is re-opened to ensure that the Inspector’s decision stands. I shall continue to work with local community groups, as well as Cllr Ian Clement and Bexley Council, to continue to oppose the Bridge on environmental, traffic and health grounds”.
Despite the opposition a transport for london Spokesperson said
“Transport for London is committed to the Thames Gateway Bridge and regrets the delay which will result from the decision to re-open the inquiry.
“Surveys conducted prior to the Inquiry showed local support for this project running at nearly 80% and with just two per cent against it.
“TfL believes that the case for the Thames Gateway Bridge remains and is supported by the London Plan. It is a vital component of a package of new transport measures that will unlock the regeneration of the Thames Gateway. It would reduce local cross-river journey times by around 30 minutes and would create the potential for up to 42,000 new jobs in the region.
“The Bridge would provide an essential and overdue transport link for east London creating better access to employment opportunities and stimulating economic development. At present, there is a huge imbalance in river crossings in east London, with only three road crossings from Tower Bridge to Dartford in the east, compared to 16 road crossings between Vauxhall and the M25 in the west.
“The Thames Gateway’s future communities and businesses must have a basic transport network that includes essential road and public transport linkages. In particularly it will prevent the build up of jobs north of the river, which will be strengthened by the 2012 Olympics, spilling over into south London. Without this, it is impossible to envisage how the Government’s challenging long growth targets for 180,000 new jobs and 160,000 new houses in the entire Thames Gateway can be achieved. Transport infrastructure is already a major constraint to development.
“TfL will be examining in detail the recommendations and will wish to ensure the reopened enquiry is completed as speedily as possible.
“We strongly believe this transport link remains a vital and integral part of the regeneration of the east London corridor.”
A poll conducted by Gateway News last year strongly disagrees with Tfl suggestions that 80% of local supported the scheme. If fact our poll showed that nearly eighty percent of residents in North Bexley were opposed to the scheme.
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