Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an assessment has been made of the potential effect on levels of congestion in Gravesham in the event that the (a) existing or (b) proposed new Lower Thames Crossings are heavily congested.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
In developing its proposals for the Lower Thames Crossing, Highways England examined the impact of incidents on the operation of the Strategic Road Network, and the knock-on effects on the local road network.
These assessments will be further refined as the detailed design for the scheme takes shape.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the potential effect on levels of congestion at the Dartford Crossing after the construction of the proposed new Lower Thames Crossing.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Through traffic modelling and forecasting Highways England has made an assessment of the scheme’s potential effect on levels of congestion at the Dartford Crossing. This is reported in section 4 of the Post-Consultation Scheme Assessment Report Volume 5.
As the detailed design for the scheme progresses this will be subject to further assessment and an enhanced traffic model is being developed incorporating the latest travel demand data. This will be used to produce revised traffic volume and congestion forecasts for the local and wider road network, including the Dartford Crossing.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many responses to the Lower Thames Crossing Consultation were associated with a campaign by Higham Parish Council; and how many of those responses (a) answered all questions in the consultation, (b) answered a majority of questions in the consultation, (c) provided identical responses, (d) provided individually tailored responses, (e) were included in the analysis of individual bespoke responses to the consultation and (f) were not included in the analysis of individual bespoke responses to the consultation.
Answered by John Hayes
The analysis of consultation responses is available in the Ipsos MORI report published on 12 April 2017, the post-consultation Scheme Assessment Report and the Response to Consultation, available online at www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk.
Highways England do not hold a breakdown of all figures specifically requested in each of these questions but have provided specific figures and breakdowns where this are available.
946 people were categorised as part of the Higham Parish Council campaign. Of those, 6 submitted identically worded responses for all questions and 940 participants provided a response based on this campaign which:
- included a partial version of the text with or without their own personal comments, or
- included the full version of this text plus additional personal comments.
Comments provided by participants were summarised and analysed along with other consultation responses.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many respondents to the Lower Thames Crossing Consultation (a) completed all questions, (b) completed more than half of the questions, (c) answered at least one question and (d) did not specifically answer consultation questions; and how many of those responses were categorised as (i) individual bespoke responses and (ii) organised campaign responses in each case.
Answered by John Hayes
Highways England do not hold a breakdown of the specific figures requested. The number of responses to each question which were answered via the questionnaire is provided in the Ipsos MORI report. Bespoke responses via letter or email generally did not answer specific questions or follow the format set out in the questionnaire.
Detail of the analysis of consultation responses is available in the Ipsos MORI report published on 12 April 2017, the post-consultation Scheme Assessment Report and the Response to Consultation, available online at www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of views considered by the Lower Thames Crossing Consultation were (a) in favour of Option A, (b) opposed to Option A, (c) in favour of Option C and (d) opposed to Option C; and how many of those responses were categorised as (i) individual bespoke responses and (ii) organised campaign responses under each of those categories.
Answered by John Hayes
Detail of the analysis of consultation responses is available in the Ipsos MORI report published on 12 April 2017, the post-consultation Scheme Assessment Report and the Response to Consultation, available online at www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk.
Highways England do not hold a breakdown of all figures specifically requested in each of these questions but have provided specific figures and breakdowns where this are available.
Specifically on the views in relation to Location A: Of the 2,928 who responded via the questionnaire:
(a) 1,760 made comments in support of Location A
(b) 1,165 made comments opposing Location A in their free text responses.
Specifically on the views considered in relation to Location C, a total of 32,872 members of the public and 447 organisations answered this question using the questionnaire. Views for and against are broken down as follows:
c) 19,729 members of the public and 307 organisations supported Location C.
d) 11,998 members of the public and 115 organisations disagreed with Location C.
13,258 responses were submitted via letter or email. Of the 47,034 responses received, 13,284 were identified as being associated with organised campaigns, which are identically worded responses.
One of these campaigns specifically suggested a new north-bound bridge crossing at Dartford as the solution. This campaign is referenced as ‘ Campaign 11, Adam Holloway MP’, in the Ipsos MORI report and received 42 signatures. Other campaigns were in opposition to a new crossing Location C and in opposition to any new crossing in Thurrock.
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people expressed a view directly or via third parties to his Department, Highways England and Ipsos Mori about Option C during the period of the Lower Thames Crossing Consultation between 26 January 2016 and 24 March 2016, including consultation responses, letters, emails and petition signatories that (a) agree or tend to, (b) disagree or tend to disagree and (c) neither agree nor disagree with Option C; and how many of those views were (i) associated and (ii) not associated with an organised campaign.
Answered by John Hayes
The decision and announcement of the preferred route for the Lower Thames Crossing followed an exhaustive review of options and extensive analysis to Highways England 2016 public consultation. Each consultation response was considered very carefully and Highways England carried out further assessment of the options before making their recommendation to Government.
Those who responded to the consultation through dedicated response channels (and within the consultation period) as part of an organised campaign group, are included in the consultation report. Of the 47,034 responses received, 13,284 were identified as being associated with organised campaigns, which are identically worded responses.
A total of 32,872 members of the public answered this question using the questionnaire, as follows:
A total of 447 organisations answered this question using the questionnaire. The breakdown is as follows:
Detail of the analysis of consultation responses is available in the Ipsos MORI report published on 12 April 2017, the post-consultation Scheme Assessment Report and the Response to Consultation, available online at www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk
Asked by: Adam Holloway (Conservative - Gravesham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people expressed a view directly or via third parties to his Department, Highways England and Ipsos Mori about Option A during the period of the Lower Thames Crossing Consultation between 26 January 2016 and 24 March 2016, including consultation responses, letters, emails and petition signatories that (a) agree or tend to agree, (b) disagree or tend to disagree and (c) neither agree nor disagree with Option A; and how many of those views were (i) associated and (ii) not associated with an organised campaign.
Answered by John Hayes
Detail of the analysis of consultation responses is available in the Ipsos MORI report published on 12 April 2017, the post-consultation Scheme Assessment Report and the Response to Consultation, available online at www.lower-thames-crossing.co.uk.
Highways England do not hold a breakdown of all figures specifically requested in each of these questions but have provided specific figures and breakdowns where this are available.
The 2,928 who responded via the questionnaire (a) 1,760 made comments in support of Location A (b) 1,165 made comments opposing Location A in their free text responses. One of these campaigns specifically suggested a new north-bound bridge crossing at Dartford as the solution. This campaign is referenced as ‘Campaign 11, Adam Holloway MP’ in the Ipsos MORI report and received 42 signatures.