With more doubts over cost of LTC, please register to join planning process

Planning Inspectorate has started the period to register as an Interested Party

Figures unearthed by our friends at Thames Crossing Action Group show the cost-benefit ratio of the planned road has dropped to 1.22, which is alarming, as is the way ministers appear to have been misled over the cost of the project.

This is being as presented as £9 billion, but some figures suggest it could already be more than 10 billion.

Part of the CPRE Kent argument against the project is that not all the costs, for example those for the mitigation measures that will be needed beyond the construction boundary, have been included in the National Highways estimate.

Traffic modelling and nitrogen emissions are likely to be other big issues relevant to the forthcoming Development Consent Order examination. The CPRE report The End of the Road? spelt out how building roads increases congestion, has a higher environmental cost than stated and does not deliver the promised economic benefits.

With the country in such difficult financial straits, now is not the time for vanity projects like the Lower Thames Crossing that will not solve the problems of congestion or air pollution in the area.

There is a lot of hard work being done by a range of organisations to prepare for the DCO examination. By working with TCAG and other groups, we hope we will have enough knowledge to effectively fight this massive project. The documents for the application run to a staggering 65,000 pages, so no one organisation can fight this appalling project alone.

• The Planning Inspectorate has started the period to register as an Interested Party for the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order (DCO) process/examination.

  If you wish to participate in this and continue to have your say, it is essential that you register as an Interested Party between Monday, January 9, and the deadline of 23.59 on Friday, February 24.

  It is important to keep in mind that if you register as an Interested Party you are not obliged to do anything, but if you do not register you will not be able to take part.

  We therefore recommend that if there is even a tiny chance you might wish to take part, get registered as an Interested Party by the deadline (February24).  To register, click here

Wednesday, January 11, 2023