The RHA has made news recently as it has petitioned the Lower Thames Crossing Developers National Highways that their development plans must now include parking facilities for trucks and vans. This comes after a visit to the Dartford Crossing Control Centre in Kent and some serious discussions about how things need to be moving forward.
Safety First
James Barwise is the current Policy Lead for Infrastructure and recently took a tour of the premises. He made sure to highlight how important it would be for developers to ensure that there was safe, secure and practical parking for trucks available, and highlighted just how important it was for developers to put the safety and wellbeing of drivers first as a priority.
National Highways has recently agreed to sit down and engage with the RHA properly, inviting them to participate in the project to offer their opinions about things like facilities for drivers and get the viewpoints of key stakeholders within the industry.
James had the following to say:
“The needs of drivers are paramount in the development of projects like the Lower Thames Crossing. It is estimated that 40% of traffic using this crossing will be goods vehicles and, as such, must be accounted for.
To unlock the full potential of the project, leads must consider how they can future-proof the scheme to allow facilities to come forward so drivers can be effectively supported and protected from freight crime.”
Understanding What’s Going On
The Lower Thames Crossing is set to be the biggest road-building scheme since the M25. It will double capacity between Kent and Essex once complete. It is said that the new road will, once made, connect the two counties via a tunnel which will go underneath the Thames.
The RHA has made upgrading roads and increasing overall road capacity something of a priority in all future campaigns they have done. They speak to lowered congestion, which will, naturally, have numerous benefits. Lower costs, shorter journey times, increased productivity and decreased emissions are all part of the process.
At the present time, the Lower Thames Crossing is in the decision stage and is being debated by the government. A decision is expected to be made by the Secretary of State on 20th June to decide if the project is viable. If it is accepted, then it will begin work in 2026 and have an estimated completion date and opening of 2032.
Understandably, a project of this nature would be vital for improving travel, but the fundamental point of the discussions must not be forgotten - suitable space and connection for trucks and vans to park. These vehicles, naturally larger in size, will need suitable provisions and should not be ignored in future discourse. Hopefully, the conversations that have been had recently will help with this. Trucks will undoubtedly use the passage to transport goods, so their inclusion within the planning process makes considerable sense.