Social distancing affects Lower Thames Crossing consultation

Lower Thames Crossing supplementary consultation has been extended to April2, 2020

Due to Government measures put in place around social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Lower Thames Crossing supplementary consultation that has been underway since January 29, has been extended.

Highways England report that they are seven weeks through the eight-week consultation period.

A total of 80 per cent of the 22 scheduled events have been completed with almost 4,000 people visiting seven out of the eight public information events and 10 of the 13 mobile informations centres.

The unprecedented situation has meant that in order to support the Government’s efforts to curb the spread of the virus and following the updated guidance the last remaining events have been cancelled.

The consultation has been extended until 23.59 on Thursday, April 2 to give people additional time to complete their consultation response and to enable organisations to complete their governance processes, which may have been disrupted because of the current situation.

Until that time people are invited to share their views:

Online
by submitting a paper response form to Freepost LTC CONSULTATION
by emailing ltc.consultation@traverse.ltd

There will also be a public consultation telephone service between 2pm and 8pm, on Monday, March 23 and Wednesday, March 25, 2020, to access this call 020 3787 4300.

This will give members of the public who had planned to go to the remaining events the opportunity to speak to a member of the project team about the changes.

All consultation materials are available online at the consultation website

A representative from Highways England said: “This is an unprecedented and unsettling time and we want to thank you for your patience as we seek to manage the inevitable disruption we are all facing, and the important work that must continue.

“This means we are having to work in different ways and use alternative approaches.

“The development of the Lower Thames Crossing and other infrastructure projects will play an important role as the country seeks to recover from the wide range of impacts we face.”

They concluded :”It is critical that we maintain the progress of our projects and keep the momentum of delivery.”