# New Thames Crossing



## charlieivan (Apr 25, 2006)

Received the following email regarding a proposed new crossing. Anyone else heard about it? If it should ever happen I don't think I will be around to use it as it would take years to build!!!

Dear Dart Charge Account Holder,

We are contacting you because you use the Dartford Crossing. We have now started public consultation on the proposed new route options for a new Lower Thames Crossing to connect Kent and Essex.

If you are interested you can:

have your say in the public consultation (closes Thursday 24 March 2016)
visit www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk for further information about our proposals
keep up-to-date and subscribe to our Lower Thames Crossing email alerts service
follow us on Twitter @LowerThames
If you have any further queries please contact our helpline on 0330 303 0059 between 9am - 5pm Monday - Saturday

Kind regards

Martin Potts

Consultation Manager
Highways England


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yes it is a major topic down here at the moment. The routes planned do not respect what the public want it seems, nothing new there then.I do not know why they cannot widen the bridge, an extra 2/3 lanes either side should meet the requirements that they are basing the plans on.

cabby


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## ob1 (Sep 25, 2007)

Adding or extending the existing bridge is the least favourite option locally. The area around Dartford simply cannot take more traffic that extra lanes would bring, to say nothing about the construction traffic problems. Just removing the barriers has taken an unbelievably long time and traffic mayhem. Add to this the coming Paramount (Disney style) theme park in the immediate area and it's just not on I'm afraid. 

I think that the Highways favourite option put forward further down river will win the day. I live approx 2 miles from the crossing, arn't I lucky!

Ron


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## StephandJohn (Sep 3, 2007)

No decision is going to be popular with everyone but something has to be done.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

The proposed completion date is 2025 if financed "internally" or 2027 if Privately financed......

The costs of using it will be proportionate "in line with current Government charges" - these are the same charges that have been used to pay for the Severn Crossing's construction and the Humber Bridge I believe.

But why plan only a 2 lane highway in each direction? why not plan 3 lane + while building - surely that would be more economic than starting again to widen it once it has been finished.....?

They are already predicting that the congestion reduction since the booths were removed will be as bad again within 10 years, so is that not a direct indication of the need for a much larger crossing?

I did not fins the booklet particularly easy to read as it is full of letters and numbers representing the sites proposed, but you cannot see what they refer to until some way through the booklet......

Not that they are likely to take much notice of public opinion anyway - think Heathrow expansion...... or High Speed rail link......

Dave


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

charlieivan said:


> Received the following email regarding a proposed new crossing. Anyone else heard about it? If it should ever happen I don't think I will be around to use it as it would take years to build!!!
> 
> Dear Dart Charge Account Holder,
> 
> ...


You and thousands of others got this Email
From the time the first tunnel bore was opened it was inevitable that the crossing would have to be expanded in the future . Trouble is of course a lot of the land needed has been built on in the meantime including with housing.
It will of course happen as there is no real alternative.


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## fatbuddha (Aug 7, 2006)

just had the e-mail land in my inbox

I think BrianJP sums it up succinctly *"It will of course happen as there is no real alternative"*. the current crossing is far too congested at many times of the day, especially south to north, and is a complete nightmare at times. yes, if you travel "out of hours" it's not bad but sadly not everyone can do that. and the alternatives such as Blackwall Tunnel and Woolwich Ferry are barely fit for duty given their limitations. going the "long way round" on the M25 is fraught with difficulties during the day.

the idea of widening the bridge has some merit, but that won't remove the bottlenecks which are the access roads to the crossing which can't really be widened themselves.


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

One of the proposed routes for the new crossing means my Uncle may have to move out of his bungalow in West Horndon as a compulsary purchase. He's not been living there 2 years yet:surprise: He doesn't seem too bothered though to be honest.

Steve


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