Local Concerns – A2 Junction

The Proposed Junction with the A2 at Cobham.

The following is our interpretation of Highways England’s proposals as presented in the 2016 Consultation documents.

LTC Junction with the A2

*Based upon Western Southern Link Plan and Profile Sheet 2 of 3 (Drawing No. HML-CB1MLZZZ-ML-DR-RD-0101) from the 2016 Highways England Consultation document: Lower Thames Crossing Pre-Consultation Scheme Assessment Report Volume 3: Identification and Description of Shortlist Routes Section 8: Appendices Part 3 of 5

At the time of publication, Highways England are still considering the design for the junction of the proposed crossing with the A2. The most detailed information available to date is that from the 2016 consultation.

However revised design thinking is apparent from the recently published Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report.

The drawing above is based upon the 2016 Highways England Consultation documents*

Implications for local drivers.

Marling Cross (Nells Cafe)

Access issues leaving Gravesend at Marling Cross (Nells Cafe):

• No direct access to the LTC. Traffic will have to travel west on the A2 to the A227 junction and return east.
• No direct access to the A2 eastbound. Traffic will be forced to use a new single carageway link road from the roundabout on the south side of the A2 at Marling Cross to the Shorne junction and join the A2 there.

Access issues into Gravesend at Marling Cross (Nells Cafe):

•  No direct exit from the A2 at Marling Cross westbound. Traffic will need to exit the A2 at Shorne and use a new single carageway link road to the Marling Cross southern roundabout.
• No direct access into gravesend at Marling Cross from the LTC southbound. Traffic will have to travel west on the A2 to the A227 and eith use local roads from there or return east on the A2 to Marling Cross.

Shorne Junction

Access issues leaving Shorne & Cobham at the Shorne junction:

• No direct access to the A2 westbound. Instead traffic must use new link road to Marling Cross.
• No direct access to the LTC. Instead traffic must either travel east to the M2 junction 1 and turn back west, or travel west to the A227 (via the new link road) and turn back east.

Access issue into Shorne & Cobham at the Shorne junction:

• No direct access to Brewers Road from the A2 eastbound. Instead traffic will have to exit the A2 at Marling Cross and use the new link road to Brewers Road.

Our concerns

Imposing these restrictions will force a considerable amount of additional traffic to use the junctions at the A227, Shorne and the M2 junction 1 increasing congestion there.

Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report

The below image is taken from Figure 1.1 Aerial View of Project Location Sheet 1 of 5 in Appendix F.

As can be seen the junction appears to have a very different layout. However this drawing, and all the drawings in the EIA scoping report are quite vague (probably intentionally so), making interpretation difficult.