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East London River Crossing

Volume 205: debated on Wednesday 4 March 1992

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To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider moving the approach road to the east London river crossing from the A2 further to the east to avoid Oxleas wood.

The alignment of the road was thoroughly considered at very lengthy public inquiries in 1985–86 and before the then Secretaries of State took their decision in 1988. There are no grounds for re-considering that decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if a cut and cover road tunnel south from Shooters Hill to the A2 in Eltham would require land outside the existing orders.

No. But the new design would need to be published and could involve a further public inquiry, particularly if it required deletion of the slip roads at Shooters Hill interchange.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the traffic effects of dropping the southern slip roads where Shooters Hill crosses the proposed approach road to the east London river crossing; and if he will make a statement.

This issue was thoroughly considered by the then Secretaries of State in 1988. They concluded that the benefits of a tunnel through part of Oxleas wood did not justify the additional cost and loss of traffic benefits from deletion of the slip roads. No new evidence has emerged which would justify any change to that decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the additional net cost of a cut and cover tunnel south from Shooters Hill to the A2 in Eltham if the southern slips were dropped.

The estimated additional cost of a cut and cover tunnel about 400 m long would be about £20 million at current prices.