Calling opponents of unsustainable transport schemes and more traffic in Bexley!
Transport for London is promoting plans for two road bridges that will increase traffic in Bexley, one at Gallions Reach and one in Belvedere. The former carries the threat of pressure to widen Knee Hill and damage Lesnes Abbey Woods. Once upon a time Bexley Council was against, but are now pro a Belvedere bridge and flaky on the other one. The Council now sees these schemes as a contribution to its woeful 20th century ‘vision’ for ‘growth’ – more buildings, more infrastructure, less green and pleasant land. For those who weren’t around at the time, this is ‘son of ELRIC’ (east London river crossing) stuff. That plan, which would have put approach roads through Oxleas Woods, was defeated. Let’s bin these too.
If you are concerned about these proposals there is a meeting on Tuesday 15 September 2015, 6.30 – 8.30 pm hosted by Abbey Wood Community Group at 4 Knee Hill, Abbey Wood, SE2 0YS
RSVP: Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/events/706163199529138/>
Speakers will be:
– Air pollution expert Dr Ian Mudway of Kings College London (he has studied the lungs of children in East London and how they don’t develop properly due to bad air pollution)
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/research/divisions/aes/about/people/Mudway/index.aspx
– Transport expert, Consultant John Elliott (he has shown how new roads generate new traffic which leads to worse congestion in the area)
http://www.johnelliottconsultancy.co.uk/
Transport for London plans:
- As you probably know there are plans TfL have been pushing for 2 new road river crossings downstream of Blackwall (Gallions ie the site of the defeated Thames Gateway road bridge), and at Belvedere
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/roads/river-crossings
we still expect TfL to come forward with further plans / consultations before long
- however plans for the Silvertown tunnel (next to the existing Blackwall tunnel) are a stage ahead – there is now going to be a formal consultation starting on 5th october, It will then go to an inquiry (it has been deemed a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project)
https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/silvertown-tunnel
the local No Silvertown group has been active (including doing air pollution citizen science work) http://www.silvertowntunnel.co.uk/
NB We can defeat these schemes!!!
TfL must look at a full package on non-road alternatives (they have not done this, only looking at and discarding individual schemes)!
Air pollution:
We now know that our filthy London air kills nearly 10,000 Londoners early, ever year!
And the government has now been required by a UK Supreme Court ruling to clean up our air ASAP
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/supreme-court-orders-uk-govt-act-air-pollution_29042015
So the last thing we should be doing is adding to the problem with more traffic, worse congestion in the area, and more air pollution!
Get more info:
If you can’t make it to the meeting we will let you know more about plans and consultations later, and do also sign up to get updates here
http://bettertransport.org.uk/roads-nowhere/london
Details of the organiser of the meeting:
Steve Chambers, London Campaigner, Campaign for Better Transport.
www.bettertransport.org.uk<http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/>
16 Waterside, 44-48 Wharf Road, London N1 7UX, 020 7566 6495
Better London Crossings – Londoners want improved public transport, not new roads – Find out more here<http://bettertransport.org.uk/london>
