THURROCK Council has been asked to reconsider a recommendation to close down its Lower Thames Crossing Task Force.

The Task Force, a council committee with councillors and informed residents and planning professionals in its ranks, has been operational since September 2017.

At its meeting next week the council's general services committee is being asked to close down the task force, though very little reason why is given in pre-meeting documentation. It may be that Asmat Hussain, the council's interim director of law and monitoring officer who will shortly be leaving the authority and has prepared a report, goes into more detail on the night.

Members of the task force have not been briefed on its planned cessation, nor had the opportunity to discuss it.

The news has not been well-received by the Thurrock-based Thames Crossing Action Group.

Its chair, Laura Blake, says the task force remains important and relevant and that it would be premature to disband the task force, given the fact that not decision has been made by the government on whether the £10 billion crossing will, or will not happen.  

She has called on members of the general services committee to 'please reconsider the closure of the Task Force'.

Ms Blake added: "This committee allows us to maintain the working relationship that we have all built over the years. 

"This is a huge and complex project and those of us who have worked on/with the Task Force over the years have considerable knowledge and experience that we wish and need to continue sharing and utilising at such a critical time in regard to the proposed crossing."

The general services committee will meet on Tuesday, 13 February.

Meanwhile Ms Blake is continuing the work of the independent Action Group, which says it does not think the fight is over and that it is important to recognise the crossing is not a 'silver bullet' solution.

A statement from the Action Group says: "Whenever there are high winds, or an incident that closes the QE2 Bridge at the Dartford Crossing National Highways close one of the Dartford Tunnels to allow two-way traffic across the river.

"Some may assume that if the proposed  Lower Thames Crossing goes ahead this would solve these problems, and stop the tunnel being closed to allow the two-way traffic at the Dartford Crossing.

"However, during the recent Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order (DCO) Examination National Highways confirmed that they still intend to close one of the tunnels anytime they close the QE2 Bridge.

"With one of the Dartford Tunnels closed, and traffic building, many would soon likely start to try and migrate to the Lower Thames Crossing. But the examination documents also show that there would only be one single lane from the A2 coastbound onto the LTC, if it goes ahead.

"Similarly, when there is an incident at the QE2 Bridge, traffic that comes off the M25 onto the A13 eastbound hoping to get to the LTC, would need to travel down to the Stanford/A1014 junction, and use the traffic lighted roundabout to then come back westbound on the A13 to get to the new LTC slip road, which would be just past (but not accessible from) the Orsett Cock/A128 junction.

"National Highways suggest an alternative route coming off the M25 directly onto the LTC. However, the M25 at that point would be five lanes, and the LTC southbound until after the A13 junction would be two lanes."

Ms Blake adds: "What is being proposed with the LTC is simply not going to solve the problems that we all suffer with due to the Dartford Crossing. It is clear that National Highways still intend to close one of the tunnels when they close the QE2 Bridge, even if the proposed LTC goes ahead.

"It wouldn't just be when the QE2 Bridge is closed, it would be any time there was an incident at either crossing. It is quite clear that there would not be adequate connections. It would just be more congestion, more pollution, and more chaos.

"Not only that but also the Dartford Crossing would still be over design capacity, even if the LTC goes ahead, and independent assessment of official National Highways traffic modelling has also concluded that the Dartford Crossing would be back to today's levels of traffic within 5 years of opening. 

"Put simply the proposed £10bn+ LTC would be hugely destructive and harmful, and is simply not fit for purpose. We need and deserve better, and there are better, more sustainable, more affordable alternatives."

"Whether or not the proposed Lower Thames Crossing is granted permission remains to be seen. 

"The Planning Inspectorate who carried out the LTC DCO Examination have until 20 March to prepare and submit their recommendation to the Secretary of State for Transport, who will then have a further three months until 20 June 2024 to consider and make an announcement on whether the proposed LTC will be granted permission or not."