Ebbsfleet Development Corporation
North Kent Police Station
Thames Way
Gravesend
Kent
DA11 8BD
10th February 2017
Dear Sir/Madam
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC) Response to Consultation
The EDC recognises the significant effort that Highways England have made in bring forward the design and proposed improvements to the A2 Ebbsfleet and Bean Junctions.
These junctions provide Strategic Road access for the Garden City and the provision of sufficient infrastructure capacity at these road junctions is essential to the sustainable development of the Garden City. This is to ensure existing traffic on the local road network can flow unhindered by congestion from the Strategic Road Network, and to improve local air quality.
We feel that the A2 has a direct negative impact on attracting investment due to the current congestion and delays that occur at the Ebbsfleet and Bean Junctions. Therefore the improvements to capacity will provide certainty to the housing market to ensure the delivery rate of new homes continues at pace and that investment is attracted.
The provision of an integrated transport network that works effectively is a key concern of residents in the locality and this has been raised repeatedly through various resident surveys and on-going consultation. We note that the A2 also provides a wider strategic role in the national road network connecting North Kent and the Port of Dover to the UK’s strategic road network.
The EDC feel that the proposed improvements to these junctions are essential in the timescale given by Highways England given the strategic nature of this scheme.
In recognising that the scheme is not at the detailed design stage, the EDC would actively encourage Highways England to refine and further improve the preferred option, to improve the overall performance and reduce the impacts on the affected properties.
Where impacts on properties cannot be avoided, the EDC is committed to working with Highways England and with housing developers to investigate whether other solutions can be found. That said the EDC supports the overall preferred scheme would comment as follows:
· We understand the assumptions which were inputted into the analysis and why these were used
· We would wish to see it developed and refined to improve performance and reduce impact
· Welcome the fact that at the Bean Junction the exit lane east bound will be 2 lane
· Would want assurance that KCC are content with the proposal as Highway Authority
· We would wish to see measures included in the detailed scheme to improve the ‘weaving situation’ at the exit of the Ebbsfleet junction (westbound) and the entrance of the off-slip to the Bean junction
· We would expect Highways England to deliver the scheme as quickly as possible and accelerate their program where possible
· We would wish Highways England to minimise the disruption during the construction period, noting the pace at which the Garden City is being constructed.
We look forward to your response to consultation
Yours Faithfully
Julia Gregory
Director of Projects
Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, North Kent Police Station, Thames Way, Gravesend, Kent, DA11 8BD
Tel: 0303 444 2586 www.ebbsfleetdc.org.uk