THURROCK Council has confirmed it is planning to install additional traffic lights on the Manorway roundabout at the junction with the A13 following a series of accidents and many near misses.

However, the council has declined to explain why there have been delays in implementing the lights – which are already fully funded – and why it has repeatedly refused to send a representative to a local community forum to discuss the roundabout and other issues related to HGV traffic in the area.

Concerns were raised at a recent meeting of Corringham, Fobbing and Homesteads Community Forum, where it was confirmed by DP World London Gateway Travel Plan Co-ordinator Trevor Hutchinson that the port had already provided the funding.

Attendees at the meeting expressed consternation that matters has been raised with council many times, but there has been no significant response.

Chairman Roy Jones confirmed that the council has been invited several times to send someone to previous meetings but the invitation has been repeatedly declined.

And no explanation had been given as to why the scheme on the manorway is being delayed.

In addition, residents raised the issue of lorries travelling through restricted areas in Corringham and Fobbing, ignoring weight restrictions and driving through residential routes in apparent attempts to take short cuts to the port – or nearby sites on the Manorway towards the former Coryton refinery.

Again Mr Hutchinson confirmed the port was happy to allow money it has given to the council to be used for a camera number plate recognition scheme (ANPR) so the port could identify vehicles arriving at its site which had broken the rules and the police or council could take action against firms or drivers going to other sites.

Funding is available for both schemes through the planning agreement the DP World reached with the council, whereby under a section 106 agreement it gave the council cash. Almost a million pounds is still held by the council. 

It was agreed when planning was granted that there would be issues, unseen at the time, that would materialise operationally and the money was set aside for that. 

That money comes with a caveat that it can be recalled by DP World if not used within a specific timeframe and Mr Hutchinson has warned that DP World might feel minded to go down that route if action were not taken by the council.

The issue of the Manorway and A13 junction is seen as the most urgent problem.

Many of incidents and near misses recorded on the roundabout have been caused by drivers ignoring existing lights or speeding.

It was felt more traffic lights and cameras would greatly improve safety.

However, despite the many reports to the council and calls for action – and the money all being in place - the scheme appears not to not been prioritised by the council, indeed it only has one nominated roundabout improvement plan on its books – the Junction 31 M25 interchange at Purfleet.

Thurrock Nub News quizzed the council on all the issues and after some delay received the following answer:

"An improvement scheme is being developed to install speed and red-light cameras on the Manorway arm of the junction to help stop drivers speeding through the red light.

"That is being funded through S106 obligations. Thurrock Council is aware of the S106 funding and will use that to progress all appropriate and applicable road schemes in that area.

"Under current legislation local authorities do not have powers to enforce moving traffic offences, such as vehicles disobeying road weight limits, disobeying no 'left/right' turns as well as stopping within a 'yellow box' area. This currently remains the responsibility of the police.

"The council is working with Essex Police on enforcement in the borough and only recently applied to the Secretary of State for inclusion into the change of law that would permit local authorities, outside of London (TfL and London boroughs already have these powers), to apply for powers to enforce such offences (see: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/councils-in-england-to-get-new-powers-over-traffic-offences/).

"The installation of ANPR cameras to enforce these offences would depend on the powers being given to Thurrock Council as without these changes, the cameras would not be able to be used to enforce.

Residents and the forum would like to see more signange of the A13 pointing out weight restrictions when leaving at the Five Bells roundabout

"A consultation was held at the start of the year as part of that application process and it can be found at: https://consult.thurrock.gov.uk/enforcing-mto. Although at this stage only one site was identified for the purposes of the application, further sites can be reviewed by the council after the powers have been assigned by legislative change.

"Officers have provided full written responses to any questions raised by the forum."

The council declined to answer why officers would not attend the forum meetings.

The forum has also advised the council that it believes improved signage for HGV vehicles on the A13 is required. And again, DP World has said it is prepared to help with funding.

As Thurrock Council has no jurisdiction on most the westbound traffic on the A13, the council was asked if it has any plans to liaise with the authorities that did. 

Nub News asked: "Will the council be seeking to follow this up with neighbouring responsible authorities?"

Again we got no response, Nor was there any direct response (other than the S106 reference above) to another question, effectively asking if the council had put DP World's designated money to other uses.

We asked: "Does Thurrock Council recognise it holds this amount of money (some £900,000+) and it still has access to that funding despite the council's current difficult financial position?"