Bexley Council welcomes plans for two new crossings across the Thames (From News Shopper)
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Bexley Council welcomes plans for two new crossings across the Thames
5:21pm Monday 16th January 2012 in News
Councillor Peter Craske is pleased the plans mark a move away from the Thames Gateway Bridge project
Bexley Council has welcomed plans for two new crossings across the Thames.
Boris Johnson confirmed last week that a tunnel connecting Greenwich peninsula to Silvertown will be built within the next decade with an estimated capacity of 2,400 vehicles per hour in each direction.
He also announced a new ferry crossing between Thamesmead and Beckton at Gallions Reach will be open by 2017.
Bexley councillors welcomed the new scheme as a move away from the Thames Gateway Bridge project.
The six-lane bridge, across the Thames between Thamesmead and Beckton, was scrapped by incoming London mayor Boris Johnson four months after his election in 2008.
The plan had proved highly unpopular in Bexley, facing opposition from a number of groups and the borough’s Tory council.
Cabinet member for public realm and community safety, Councillor Peter Craske said: "We are particularly pleased that the Mayor has moved on from the previous poorly thought-out plan for a road crossing to something which is more sensible that will provide a valuable new link to Thamesmead and the north of the borough."
Cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, Councillor Linda Bailey said the plans will improve transport links from Bexley.
She added: “Taken together with the planned Crossrail station at Abbey Wood, future years should see a massive improvement in the links between Bexley and the rest of the capital, something for which we have campaigned since we won control of the Council in 2006.”
But Jacqui Wise, who founded Action Group Against the Bridge in 2004 in response to the Thames Gateway Bridge project, says a peninsula crossing would increase congestion.
Mrs Wise of Berkeley Avenue, Bexleyheath said: “Speaking personally we would not support the new proposals.
“The ferry crossing would have traffic implications for the area which will, by stealth, create the demand locally for a Thames Gateway Bridge type crossing.
“Basically this is a slow burn Thanes Gateway Bridge proposal.
“We are disappointed that Bexley Council is supporting these proposals without first consulting Bexley residents.”
Preliminary consultation on the new Silvertown crossing, which aims to reduce pressure on Blackwall, is to begin next month.
There are currently no details on how the schemes will be funded.
TIMELINE
July 2004 - The Thames Gateway Bridge application is handed in, a 650 metre, six-lane bridge between the A2016 in Thamesmead and Beckton.
December 2004 - The scheme, backed by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, is approved by Greenwich and Newham Councils.
June 2005 - A public inquiry on the plans sits at Charlton’s The Valley ground.
July 2007 - The Planning inspector recommends scrapping the bridge scheme.
July 2007 - Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government requests a reopening of the inquiry.
November 2008 - New London Mayor Boris Johnson confirms he has scrapped the bridge scheme.
November 2011 - Chancellor George Osborne announces that two new river crossings are on the table.
Comments(2)
ianc9139
says...
10:30am Tue 17 Jan 12
Lets look at this in this way...
From Kent.....
1) Dartford Crossing will always be problematic until the toll booths are removed, either for contactless charging or for toll-free;
2) Woolwich Ferry can't be relied upon as that goes down on a daily basis, usually for 'Techinical Reasons'. Technical Reasons my foot...more like staff reasons! Traffic routes on the southside often grinds to a standstill due to inadequate vehcile waiting facilities and the obvious action of bury heads in the sand by TfL, Greenwich Council and the Metropolitan Scuffers. This in turn increases demand on either Blackwall or Dartford - assuming that they are still viable options at that time;
3) Blackwall cannot cope on normal days especially when the Dartford Crossing goes down for whatever reason. Reintroduce the peak hour contraflows as this previously helped to control traffic flow and should be considered as there was little evidence of safety issues as presented by Lingstone;
4) Rotherhithe is speed and vehicle size restricted with poor access on both sides of the river. Also has a tendancy to go down on a regular basis;
Tower Bridge - subject to traffic management restrictions including vehicle size, emmisions etc and congestion charging zone;
I applaude in advance the person who applies common sense and gets the construction done.
The old saying of 'You can never please everyone all the time' is true.
No doubt this will get the NIMBY's going!!
goldenbroomboy says...
6:13pm Mon 16 Jan 12
Still, yet again, there are no details of how a proposed scheme is to be funded.
So it probably will not happen, and the chavs will have to get to London the same way that the rest of us do.