Lower Thames Crossing

Lower Thames Crossing Design Refinement Consultation – July/August 2020

Please read the following release from The Lower Thames Crossing Community Engagement Team

On Tuesday 14 July Highways England and the Lower Thames Crossing Community Engagement team will be launching a consultation on proposed design refinements to the Lower Thames Crossing. This consultation follows the Statutory Consultation in 2018 and Supplementary Consultation, completed earlier this year.

From the 14th July you will be able to have your say on our proposed refinements, which include:

*Minor refinements to elements of the highways design
*Updated paths for walkers, cyclists and horse riders
*Proposals for redirecting and upgrading utilities
*More detailed landscaping proposals
*Further developed ecological mitigation measures

The consultation will be a digital first consultation – meaning that from 14th July to 12th August all materials, including an online feedback form, will be accessible online at
www.lowerthamescrossing.co.uk/design-consultation.

If you would like to order printed copies of our consultation materials you can do so by emailing

info@lowerthamescrossing.co.uk

Consulting during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions

With social distancing measures still in place, and in line with Government guidance, we have adopted a ‘digital first’ approach. We will also be putting additional measures in place to ensure members of the public can engage fully in the consultation, including:

*Leaflets distributed to 135,000 properties within 2km of the route, giving residents advance notice of this consultation from today
* From today, people can register their interest in the consultation and pre-order hard copies of our consultation packs to arrive from consultation launch on 14 July
* Extensive media and social media campaigns to raise awareness about the consultation

During the consultation period – from 14th July to 12th August we will provide:

* A freephone consultation and call-back service for people to find out more and give their feedback on our proposals
* An online public information exhibition – including videos, displays and a documents library
* Webinars to explain the key changes open to all members of the public
* An updated and newly interactive website
*Ongoing social media updates

How to pre-order your consultation materials

Visit the Highways England website here:

Highways England - LTC Design Consultation Materials

Please bear in mind that whilst you need a space between the first and second part of the postcode, check you haven’t also put a space in after
the postcode.  You may also find manually entering your postcode works better than using auto complete feature.  The form seems to be very
particular and has caused some problems in entering their address.

Alternatively you can email info@lowerthamescrossing.co.uk or call 0300 123 5000 to request a copy of the pack is sent to you as soon as they
are released.

New Project Director

We would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that we have a new Project Director, Shaun Pidcock. Shaun joins the project having led the Highways England Smart Motorway Programme for four years. He leaves the Smart Motorway Programme in good shape and is now ready to lead the Lower Thames Crossing as we approach our Development Consent Order (DCO) planning application, and get prepared for project delivery.

We will be contacting Higham Parish Council on the 14th July when all the consultation materials will be published on our website to send you the links to all the new information/materials and to ask you to use your channels to communicate the information to your contacts at that point.

Lower Thames Crossing – Community Engagement

We will keep you posted on developments via our website and facebook page.

The Parish Council

 

June 29, 2020 in Lower Thames Crossing

Lower Thames Crossing Ground Investigations – April 2020 Update

As you are aware the Lower Thames Crossing is currently undertaking aseries of ground investigations and surveys at locations throughout North Kent and Essex to help improve proposals and to develop Highways Englands’ application for the Development Consent Order.

WHAT ARE HIGHWAYS ENGLAND (HE) DOING?

Digging shallow trenches to assess the archaeological features of site.

Before digging the trenches, HE will undertake non-intrusive electromagnetic surveys to detect any sub-surface anomalies such as utilities, waste and unexploded ordnance. This is a standard health and safety requirement.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

Mechanical excavators will be used to dig shallow trenches approximately 30 metres long and 2 metres wide.

Before digging the trenches, a magnetometer (detector) attached to an all-terrain utility vehicle will be used to scan the area.

HE will be excavating the soil to look for archaeological features and HE will replace the soil once the excavations are completed.

Noise level will be comparable to that of farm machinery, such as a tractor.

WHERE WILL THE INVESTIGATIONS TAKE PLACE?

The locations for the trial trenches will mainly be on private farm land on or near the proposed route.

The work may be visible from nearby roads and properties.

WHEN WILL THE WORK TAKE PLACE?

The second phase of these surveys will start in April 2020 and continue until October 2020. Most of the work will take place Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm with the possibility of some weekends.

HE will also be sending letters to residents who live in the close vicinity of the works with the information above. You can find further details on where and when these surveys will be taking place on the HE website including answers to some frequently asked questions.

GROUND INVESTIGATIONS SURVEYS

HE will also be commencing their next phase of ground investigation surveys which will mainly involve cable percussion boreholes and requires a 7m tall frame lowering drilling tools up to 60m. To find out more on Ground Investigation techniques please visit thededicated page on the HE website

Highways England - Lower Thames Crossing Ground Investigation

COVID-19 WORKING 

HE are fully supporting the Government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in following their policy that construction activity should continue where it can be undertaken in accordance with the Public Health England and Industry guidance. Highways England has reviewed site works on the Lower Thames Crossing project and has reduced current works to essential survey and investigation work only.

A number of their activities across the route have been postponed whilst they undertake reviews on how they can be carried out in full compliance with the guidance and recommendation available. Some work, such as Archaeological Trial Trenching, is continuing in accordance with method statements that are in full compliance with all current guidance.

We will keep you informed  of any further amendments and developments as we here from the LTC Community Engagement team.

Higham Parish Council

April 17, 2020 in Lower Thames Crossing