Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the lower Thames crossing project on the (a) M2 Junction 3, (b) A229 and (c) road infrastructure in Chatham & Aylesford constituency.
Answered by George Freeman
The Lower Thames Crossing statutory consultation was carried out in 2018 and outlined the forecast traffic impacts on the wider road network as a result of the scheme. The traffic flows use a measure called the passenger car unit (PCU) and a car equates to 1 PCU. A heavy goods vehicle is 2.5 PCUs as it uses more road space than a car. The traffic modelling showed that:
On roads within the Chatham and Aylesford constituency; a range of impacts are forecast, including a reduction in traffic flows on the M20 and an increase on the M2. However, the majority of roads within the constituency are forecast to see a small change in flow of between -99 PCUs and +100 PCUs per hour in both peak periods.
Any impacts on the Strategic Road Network and wider road network will be considered during development of the Lower Thames Crossing project and in the context of long term investment planning in the Strategic Road Network. Highways England is continuing to work with Kent County Council and all other impacted local highway authorities as it continues to develop the design of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Following its 2018 statutory consultation, Highways England is considering all of the responses it received and any changes to the scheme will be assessed in an updated version of the traffic model, and presented as part of the Lower Thames Crossing planning application (Development Consent Order).
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Highways England on funding for infrastructure upgrades to existing road infrastructure related to the Lower Thames Crossing project.
Answered by George Freeman
Aside from the Lower Thames Crossing project, Highways England is making improvements to the A2 in north Kent at the Bean and Ebbsfleet junctions. This A2 scheme is due to start works in 2019/20 and open for traffic in 2022/23. These changes will support development and growth in the region.
Highways England is also working to forecast the impact of the Lower Thames Crossing on the wider network to inform decisions about which wider interventions may be needed and when. Any impacts on the Strategic Road Network and wider road network will be considered as part of the Lower Thames Crossing planning application (Development Consent Order). Highways England is continuing to work with Kent County Council and all other affected local highway authorities as it continues to develop the design of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Although these interventions would not be funded or developed through the Lower Thames Crossing project, the information will be available to enable future investment decisions to be made. For the Strategic Road Network, these will be considered as part of future Road Investment Strategy periods. On the local highway network, Highways England is working with local highway authorities to provide forecasts of potential impacts and it will work with them to help them consider appropriate mitigation measures.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Network Rail on their progress in implementing the recommendations of the John Varley Vegetation Management Review.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Officials from my Department and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs have held a number of meetings with Network Rail to discuss implementation of the recommendations of John Varley’s Vegetation Management Review. John Varley is due to report to me shortly on the progress made so far by my Department and Network Rail in implementing his recommendations.
Asked by: Tracey Crouch (Conservative - Chatham and Aylesford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding he has allocated to repair roads in Chatham and Aylesford.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Local highway authorities are responsible for the maintenance of the local road network in their area. Chatham’s roads are the responsibility of Medway Council, as highway authority, and Aylesford’s roads are the responsibility of Kent County Council, as highway authority.
The funding provided by the Department for Transport for highway maintenance, including pothole repair, to Medway Council and Kent County Council since 2015 is shown in the table below. The table highlights the Department for Transport allocated Medway Council an additional £1.1m and Kent County Council an additional £12m funding in the 2018/19 financial year to support local highways maintenance services, including the repair of roads.
Year | Funding Stream | Funding £m Medway | Kent |
2015/16 | Highways Maintenance Block | 2.54 | 27.27 |
2016/17 | Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element) | 2.47 | 26.38 |
2016/17 | Pothole Action Fund | 0.13 | 1.47 |
2017/18 | Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element) | 2.45 | 26.35 |
2017/18 | Pothole Action Fund | 0.34 | 3.72 |
2017/18 | Flood Resilience Fund | 0.13 | 3.72 |
2018/19 | Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element) | 2.47 | 25.55 |
2018/19 | Pothole Action Fund | 0.14 | 1.56 |
2018/19 | Budget £420 million | 1.12 | 12.09 |
2019/20 | Highways Maintenance Block (including Incentive Element) | 2.47 | 26.52 |
2019/20 | Pothole Action Fund | 0.07 | 0.79 |
2019/20 | Flood Resilience Fund | 0.07 | 0.79 |
Total |
| 14.40 | 156.21 |
The Department funds local highway maintenance in England, outside of London, through Highway Maintenance Block Funding (HMBF), worth about a £1 billion a year.