The Chair of the Committee confirmed that a copy of the report had been circulated by Democratic Services prior to the meeting and had been tabled for Members.

The Head of Highways and Transportation addressed the Committee and in doing so the following was highlighted:

•               Officers were working with consultants to gather further information, to include within the Council’s official response to the consultation for which the closing date was 24 March 2016;

•               Following the meeting of the Committee held on 9 February 2016, all resolutions had been actioned by Officers;

•               A letter had been sent to the Secretary of State, seeking to an extension of the consultation which was signed by the Chair of the Committee and all Group Leaders;

•               The meeting held on the 25 February 2016, at the Port of Tilbury was covered by BBC News and showed the discussions of local residents, Highway England and the MPs for Thurrock.

She continued by informing Members that since the announcement that Option A could be a possibility; Group Leaders and the Chair of the Committee had further written to the Secretary of State requesting that the consultation be stopped due to inadequate information.

 Members were notified that the Thurrock Business Board convened on 29 February 2016 to discuss the proposals of a Lower Thames Crossing. The board came to the consultation that a new crossing was necessary however the information Highways England were using was out of date and inadequate. 

The Committee were advised a report would be taken to Full Council on the 23 March 2016, for Members to agree the final response on behalf of the Council to the consultation.

Mr Bull addressed Members and began to talk them through the evidence gathering report from the Council’s independent advisers and in doing so he raised the following:

•               The traffic movement data replied upon was historic and did not satisfy the DfT’s own requirements to base assessment on more recent data;

•               The route locations A and C fulfil substantially different strategic functions;

•               Once the new crossing was open, combined traffic levels crossing using both crossings could increase from 140,000 a day to 240,000 a day total by 2041;

•               By 2041 traffic volumes at the Dartford Crossing were predicted to be 7% lower without the scheme, as any spare capacity on the existing crossing is utilised by diverting traffic and new traffic growth;

•               There was a lack of information needed to make an informed decision over any route.

It was further commented that Environmental harm needed to be investigated along with further work into Public Health and Air Quality.

Councillor Liddiard thanked Officers for the report; he stated that it was clear as to what the Councils intention should be. 

Councillor Ray sought as to which Option A or C Highways England was set on. Mr Bull explained that as yet no formal publication of a preferred route had been made.

Members questioned how Highways England could make an informal decision, given that the data they were looking at was out dated. The Committee were assured they had been given the most up-to-date information and were kept inform of all timescales, throughout the whole process.

It was further stated that the Council was looking into other options such as yellow box junctions to ease traffic and were working in conjunction with the LEAP.

The Chair of the Committee sought as to whether the final report would be available for Members, prior to the consultation deadline. The Head of Highways and Transportation confirmed that the final report would be presented to Members before it was submitted as  part of the consultation.

RESOLVED: That the Planning, Transport and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee:

1.            Notes actions taken in response to resolutions of the Planning, Transportation, Regeneration Committee at its meeting of 9 February 2016 as set out in paragraph 3.1.

2.            Note the views expressed by attendees at the public meeting on Lower Thames Crossing at Tilbury Cruise Terminal on Thursday the 25 February 2016 as summarised in paragraph 3.2.

3.            Note the views expressed at the meeting of Thurrock Business Board of 29 February 2016 to discuss highways England’s Lower Thames Crossing proposals as set out in paragraphs 3.3 & 3.4.

4.            Call upon Cabinet to pursue the establishment of a Congestion Task Force comprised of Highway Authority, Emergency Service and business partners on both sides of the existing Dartford Crossing to develop measures to alleviate the unacceptable levels of network disruption which result from incidents or closures on that Crossing.

5.            Note the Draft Evidence Gathering Report (see Appendix 1) which is being developed to reflect the representations made to this Committee on Lower Thames Crossing, and which will be finalised following this meeting.

6.            Agree to recommend to Cabinet at its meeting of 9 March 2016 that the final version of this Committee’s Evidence Gathering Report be incorporated as an appendix to the Council’s Formal Consultation Response to Highways England.