Archived press release

Inquiry opens into controversial new thames road bridge

6 June 2005

A Public Inquiry into controversial plans to build a new 6-lane road bridge across the Thames opens in Charlton today (Tuesday 7 June) [1].

Friends of the Earth opposes the Thames Gateway road bridge because:

• It would lead to an increase in traffic and congestion in the surrounding area;
• It would add to breaches of European and Government air quality standards, which will affect peoples health particularly children and elderly people;
• It would cause noise disturbance to the extent that, according to WHO guidelines, people may need to sleep with their windows closed;
• Morning rush hour flows through the Blackwall tunnel would "remain more or less unchanged", according to Transport for London.

Friends of the Earth's London campaigner Jenny Bates said

"Building this unnecessary 6-lane road bridge will cause more pollution, more noise and more congestion. Mayor Livingstone and the Government must consider better ways to help the local area and sustainably regenerate the Thames Gateway."

[1] The Inquiry will open at 10am with objectors to the damaging scheme demonstrating outside the Charlton Athletic football ground venue beforehand.

Transport for London will present their case calling on 14 expert witnesses, followed by supporters. But following lobbying from objectors the inquiry will break in the summer and resume on 13th September when most objectors will make their case.

Objectors expert witnesses will cross question some of Transport for London's witnesses in the June session, with further cross examination by objectors and their experts in September.

Objectors are expected to say that the bridge would cause even more traffic than Transport for London allow for. This would affect TfL's regeneration claims for this scheme.

Thames Gateway bridge - background facts.

• The proposed Thames Gateway bridge would be a 6-lane highway link between Beckton in Newham and Thamesmead in Greenwich. The bridge would connect directly into the North Circular Road and so to the M11 in the north, and to dual carriageways from the M25 in the south. Local roads that would be used by traffic cutting through to the A2 would suffer.
• Transport for London admit that 20 million vehicles a year would use the bridge, and only 36% of cars in the morning rush hour would be travelling within the 4 local boroughs of Newham, Barking & Dagenham, Greenwich and Bexley. This is in an area where 49% of residents in Newham, and 41% of those in Greenwich do not own a car.
• Transport for London admit that the bridge would have "little impact" on traffic flows on existing crossings in the area in the morning rush hour, and that flows through Blackwall Tunnel would "remain more or less unchanged". Traffic speeds would be slower in some areas.
• TfL also admit that extra traffic would lead to breaches in Government and European air quality limits being added to, and to noise disturbance of a level that the World Health Organisation say people may need to sleep with their windows closed.
• Road transport is currently responsible for around 22 per cent of UK carbon dioxide emissions (the main greenhouse gas), and that level is expected to rise. Climate change is considered by many scientists to be the biggest threat the planet faces.
• TfL's main public consultation was in 2003, and TfL use the results which show a majority in favour of the scheme. However Friends of the Earth consider this consultation to be flawed. The Environmental Statement was not ready then and even an Interim Technical Statement - that showed some traffic figures leaping up 36% on previous figures - was only made available half way through the consultation.
• Also the 2003 consultation offered no alternatives to this scheme that could help improve access, but without adding to the problems of the area in the way that this scheme would.

Notes

TfL's Environmental Statement is at:
www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/thames-gateway/tgw-bridge/tgb-environment.shtml

See www.foe.co.uk/london and go to the Thames Gateway bridge section to find out how to get involved.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust