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The £4bn Canvey-to-Kent tunnel
8:38am Tuesday 5th February 2008
Comments (63)AMBITIOUS new plans have been revealed for a tunnel with a road and rail link between Canvey and Kent costing up to £4billion.
London engineering consortium Metrotidal is behind the new lower Thames crossing proposal linking Canvey with the Medway towns.
Director Mark Willingale said the proposals could give Canvey its own railway station for the first time and also a third access road off the island.
The scheme was revealed as Essex and Kent county councils announced plans for a study into the precise location of a new crossing.
Metrotidal's blueprint seeks to combine the tunnel with new flood defences protecting London and a tidal power plant in the middle of the Thames Estuary.
This could support a new eco-town or generate enough power to operate a rail service through the tunnel, the consortium said.
Mr Willingale, who has relations in Leigh and was brought up in Essex, said: "We propose to fund the tunnel by combining the emerging Government flood defence budget with private sector funding for the tunnel and tidal power plant."
The link from the Hoo Peninsula in Kent to the south west of Canvey would link the A130 and A13 in Essex with the A289 and M2 in Kent.
The new A130, which opened three years ago, and the proposed revamp of Sadlers Farm on the A13 would form an integral part of the scheme.
Mr Willingale said: "It would relieve congestion on the M25 at the Dartford crossing and offer a rail freight bypass east of London with a connection to the east coast ports and the Channel Tunnel."
The new tunnel would be built by laying concrete tubes in a trench in the Thames Estuary.
Island could be first eco-town in country'
LAND could be reclaimed from the sea to provide Canvey with a railway station and a new £110million redevelopment, it has been revealed.
An area to the east of the planned tunnel has been earmarked for reclamation as part of the proposal for a new tunnel between Canvey and Kent.
Mr Willingale said: "We would propose to use the reclaimed land which adjoins the south west Canvey regeneration area, initially as a dry dock where the concrete tubes for the tunnel would be constructed.
"After this work has been carried out the land could revert to being part of the estuary or it could be used for development. It would seem a great shame if having reclaimed the land for the dry dock it was then left to become sea again.
"Obviously, it could be an ideal place for a new station to serve Canvey on the rail link and for commercial development.
"We have put a value of £110million on this site for reclamation but I would think that could be low compared to the true value when the whole scheme comes into operation.
"I believe the scheme could be good news for the island, with impovements to the infrastructure and the chance to be the first eco-town in the country."
Outrageous idea would ruin Canvey'
POLITICAL leaders have greeted Metrotidal's plans with scepticism.
Canvey Tory county councillor Ray Howard said: "I think it is an outrageous idea.
"It would ruin Canvey and have a serious effect on the environment.
"I hope there will be full discussions with the local people and a debate on the issue before any decision is made on this proposal.
"The study the county council is undertaking has to look at all the options but this is just not an acceptable idea." Mary Spence, chief executive of Thames Gateway South Essex said the Governnment plans for the area included looking at options for a new crossing.
She added: "This is an innovative proposal, which could also have benefits for our determination to tackle climate change.
"I hope people will let us know what they think of the idea."
Essex County Council leader, Lord Hanningfield, said: "I have a feeling this is not the sort of project which Essex and Kent county councils will be looking at for a lower Thames crossing.
"A tunnel from Canvey to the Medway towns would be extremely expensive and I think it would not be acceptable, although our study will be looking at all the available options."
Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Island Independence Party, added: "If you ask me it is a load of rubbish and just pie in the sky.
"We have heard plans like this before and they have never come to anything."
Castle Point Tory MP Bob Spink said: "It sounds as if it would be extremely expensive.
"I am concerned it may not be a good thing for Canvey Island and I have quite a number of concerns about it, having just heard about the proposals.
"I would also like to know the full details of how any such scheme would be financed."
Your Say YourEcho
Nigel, says...
9:27am Tue 5 Feb 08
gold digger, Canvey Of Course says...
9:42am Tue 5 Feb 08
You can stitch em up for millions with this one mate.
b.benfleet, benfleet says...
9:58am Tue 5 Feb 08
Steve, Leigh says...
10:07am Tue 5 Feb 08
PATRICK, Langdon Hills says...
10:40am Tue 5 Feb 08
Ian, Benfleet says...
11:51am Tue 5 Feb 08
Steve, says...
12:02pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Something needs to be done soner rather than later.
Dave Blackwell, leader of the Canvey Island Independence Party, added: "If you ask me it is a load of rubbish and just pie in the sky.[/quote
What has good old Dave done for Canvey since he and his mob won the Town Council Elections??
Sarah, My desk says...
12:18pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Doug, Rochford says...
12:32pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Lets tell them to spend it all somewhere else.
Admiral Jellicoe, Canvey Island says...
1:11pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Keep dreaming people and keep pressing for the road to Corringham.
The Earl of Southend, Southend Manor says...
1:40pm Tue 5 Feb 08
monaco man, the island says...
1:46pm Tue 5 Feb 08
bob, billericay says...
1:53pm Tue 5 Feb 08
bob, somewhere in southend says...
1:55pm Tue 5 Feb 08
the only coment worth recording is two hopes
bob hope and no hope
Trainman, says...
2:19pm Tue 5 Feb 08
digger, under the thames says...
2:55pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Duke of Rhodesia, Sunny Rhodesia says...
3:08pm Tue 5 Feb 08
What's the point of building a tunnel to somewhere that will be underwater in twenty years time?
Alan, Essex says...
3:34pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Doug wrote:So you would'nt mind how areas are carved up and destroyed, as long as someone is making a quick buck?
Oh No! Development on Canvey will increase property values, give more trade for shopkeepers, make work for the unemployed, build more roads, build a railway, loads of cash going into the area. We dont want that do we? Lets tell them to spend it all somewhere else.
evilc, essex says...
5:06pm Tue 5 Feb 08
However I suppose they could always provide a lift to get over the sea wall?
Anyway why worry it will never be built because it is another New Labour Quango pipe dream!!
jon, says...
5:08pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Dave, here says...
5:17pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Ian wrote:Exactly...
<b> As most drivers leaving Canvey of a morning work in Essex or London, I always assumed the concept of a third road off of Canvey was for the other end of it to arrive somewhere in Essex, not Kent. For most Canvey residents this proposed road would be about as useful as a chocolate teapot and only result in external traffic fighting its way on to the island to cross the Thames while avoiding Dartford.</b>
acid_jim, says...
5:33pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Simon Diamond, Thundersley says...
5:34pm Tue 5 Feb 08
evilc wrote:I suggest you look up what QUANGO actually means.
seems like a good idea to build a tunnel and come out in an area according to the experts that will not be there in a few years because of global warming. However I suppose they could always provide a lift to get over the sea wall? Anyway why worry it will never be built because it is another New Labour Quango pipe dream!!
It will probably never be built becuase it's a solution but no one knows what the actual question is.
But with the Thames flood barrier soon to become innefectual, a tidal barrage will at one point or another be necessary.
Ben, Benfleet says...
6:04pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Southend Sam, says...
8:22pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Lee Harvey Osmond, Somewhere permanently sunny says...
10:11pm Tue 5 Feb 08
Whatever scheme is proposed, anything involving the large scale compulsory purchase of private property, especially people's homes, is not viable. Building a causeway from Foulness to Sheppey wouldn't be very affordable, and there wouldn't be a lot of point either -- look at the map, and consider all the other roads it would be necessary to build of upgrade to cope with any volume of traffic.
Most of us on South East Essex are familiar with how much traffic there is on the A13 and A127 and don't want to add to it; certainly not east of Sadler's Farm or Rayleigh Weir. I imagine the denizens of Kent have the same sort of thing to say about the M2 and A2. What would be useful is to link the scheme under discussion into existing roads running north to south, then some of the traffic currently routed via Thurrock/Dartford would be on A13/A127/A2/M2 rather less.
Let's look at the map again for interesting places to put a Thames crossing. Silvertown/Woolwich would be an excellent place, except they are in London, not in Essex/Kent; similarly Dagenham/Thamesmead. Tilbury/Gravesend might be good; except the onward road connections are poor. Actually there are only two substantial road running north to south in the bit part of Essex of interest, and they are the M25 and the A130. That leaves us with three choices: a fourth crossing at Dartford/Thurrock, something similar to Metrotidal's proposal -- or a new road altogether, on top of the cost of the river crossing. I don't fancy adding more capacity at Thurrock/Dartford because the M25, A2 and A13 are pretty full as it is. I don't like the sound of 'new road altogether' as I am not made of money and expect Essex County Council to be picking my pocket to fund whatever gets chosen.
Metrotidal got lots right. Their proposal would exploit the A130 (underused by comparison to any other road to which I have referred) and I would expect there to be a hidden wedge in Essex Coiunty Council's budget towards funding Sadler's Farm improvements. Metrotidal's proposal could provide a third road off Canvey, and possibly a fourth and a railway link.
Where did Metrotidal go wrong? I'm not sure about their construction method -- is the cut'n'cover concrete tubes method with temporary land reclamation for use as a construction yard really better than a cable-stayed bridge or (I am not that familiar with Canvey's geology) a tunnel bored through chalk? Perhaps Metrotidal chose this because they're very good at making things out of concrete? Given Lord Hanningfield's interest in transport, shoehorning a tidal-barrage power station into the proposal may not have been ideal; more cost for something the prospective customer neither understood nor requested.
And then we have to consider the people who might reasonably object. From the Echo's article: "Canvey Tory county councillor Ray Howard said: "I think it is an outrageous idea. It would ruin Canvey and have a serious effect on the environment." Ruin Canvey? Ray, I'll let you into a secret: some of us don't hold Canvey in high esteem. The idea that there is anything of merit on the island left to be ruined has us in stitches. Maybe I'm being harsh, but I'm also looking at a Google Earth picture showing me oil refineries and gas terminals and assorted brownfield deserted industrial sites. Reusing a bit of Canvey that's already been spoiled so that people want to live on Canvey, work on Canvey and invest in Canvey seems like a good idea to me. Perhap's Ray's right, and creating jobs and stimulating the local economy would be a bad thing. But what do I know? I'm in favour of the huge causeway far out into the estuary -- that way, the tidal barrage could be huge, and we could even build an access road down the side of Southend Pier, so that both Kent and Essex fire services could attend the next couple of blazes.
scarpa, Pitsea says...
11:26pm Tue 5 Feb 08
The Truth Seeker, Seeking Truth Everywhere says...
1:03am Wed 6 Feb 08
The A130 is a PFI road - the more traffic that uses it the more money is made by the builders and Essex County Council (I am sure I have read this somewhere but as its late can't locate the source of this information)
So its in the best interest if more traffic can be funneled up and down the A130 - more traffic - more money!
pageo8, Colchester, England says...
7:28am Wed 6 Feb 08
If so, a wall of water would hit canvey Island as it hits the defences.Ok for London No good for Canvey.
The best place would be Off Maplin Ect.
Then Canvey Would be protected.Also We need another road to Corringhan Not to Kent.
How Many Islanders Travel to Kent Most travel to London.It seems to me That This Development would be ok for Lorries going to the Ports,But offer Very Little for the Island.
Orb, says...
11:00am Wed 6 Feb 08
I would guess that plans are already at an advanced stage with a road connecting the new crossing with both Canvey and Corringham being the outcome this side of the water.
Spike, c2c land says...
1:37pm Wed 6 Feb 08
Train station on canvey is a great idea.
The c2c line is fairly isolated from North Essex, the junction at Pitsea gives links to Wickford and on to Chelmsford etc. This could also be used to direct some rail traffic from the New Shellhaven Port (and existing Tilbury Docks etc) away from the North London Line, GOBLIN and Forest Gate Junction.
Together with links to HS1 at Ebbsfleet makes up for Rainham missing out as being chosen as the site for a station on HS1.
LJK, Canvey says...
1:57pm Wed 6 Feb 08
I vote for the third road off Canvey to Corringham to relieve Sadlers Farm roundabout and build an Essex-Kent link further up in an area where the current economy can afford to expand - Tilbury to Gravesend is a great example. This link, I believe, would relieve A LOT of congestion on the M25, especially on the freight side of things and wouldn't cause too much disruption on surrounding road links. There is also a lot of empty land at Tilbury, even some of the Dock area hasn't been used for a few years and the main road from Tilbury (A1089) has plenty of room surrounding it to allow for further expansion and, to be honest, the area is in serious need of a revamp.
peter, Canvey island says...
3:45pm Wed 6 Feb 08
Orb, says...
4:43pm Wed 6 Feb 08
The Lower Thames Crossing is obviously key to the provision of a new orbital route. The subject of a number of studies, it has not yet produced a clear consensus among its proponents about where it would cross the Thames. There are two main options. The first option would be close to the existing M25 crossing at Dartford. It would cross the Thames close to Tilbury and Gravesend and is seen primarily as providing relief for the M25. It would have approach roads connecting with the M25s junction 29 north of the river and with the M2 west of Strood, south of the river.
The second option would be further to the east and is seen as also having a regeneration function. On the north bank it would leave the A130 at Benfleet, cross Canvey Island, the Thames and the Isle of Grain and link in with the M2/A2.
The 1994 Highways Agency study favoured the western option arguing that a six-lane Tilbury option would carry more traffic, cause less environmental damage and open up more land for development. A bored tunnel would mitigate environment impact but be more expensive than a bridge (£354 million for a bored tunnel compared with £280 million for a suspension bridge). However, the eastern Canvey option was said to help in the regeneration of east Kent and outer parts of A12 corridor (£517 million for a bored tunnel and £392 million for a suspension bridge). The report assumed a tolling regime co-ordinated with that at Dartford, resulting in traffic flows on a Tilbury crossing of 50,000-60,000 vehicles per day.
As well as the Thames Gateway Partnership, other supporters of the Lower Thames Crossing include the Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership, which brings together the councils of Thurrock, Basildon, Castle Point, Essex, Rochford and Southend. They argue in a glossy brochure that the Lower Thames Crossing would bring considerable benefits to south Essex, including environmental improvements, but would also certainly require rigorous environmental assessment.
A Ratepayer, says...
6:27pm Wed 6 Feb 08
Ian, Benfleet says...
11:02am Thu 7 Feb 08
A Ratepayer wrote:You are a gobby ignorant tw@t. Thank god most people are not like you.
Hopefully they will start construction on the Essex side by digging a big hole. Canvey will then fall in it and be covered over.
Joseph Orford, Canvey says...
11:05am Thu 7 Feb 08
Juan, Canvey says...
11:08am Thu 7 Feb 08
Toby, Canvey says...
11:09am Thu 7 Feb 08
Shauna, Canvey says...
11:12am Thu 7 Feb 08
Matthew, Canvey says...
11:17am Thu 7 Feb 08
Chloe, Canvey says...
11:19am Thu 7 Feb 08
George, Canvey says...
11:22am today Thu 7 Feb 08
Alex, Canvey says...
11:24am Thu 7 Feb 08
Abbi, Canvey says...
11:27am Thu 7 Feb 08
Molly, Canvey says...
11:28am Thu 7 Feb 08
Sam and Brad, Canvey says...
11:31am Thu 7 Feb 08
Sophie, Canvey says...
11:34am Thu 7 Feb 08
Kaylan, Canvey says...
11:37am Thu 7 Feb 08
Billy, Canvey says...
11:39am Thu 7 Feb 08
Hadyn, aston, Mark, Canvey says...
11:42am Thu 7 Feb 08
Reece, Canvey says...
11:45am Thu 7 Feb 08
Tracy, Canvey says...
11:48am Thu 7 Feb 08
It is their future and homes that may be at risk!
Who will ask them?
Abby, Chelsey, Hayley, Brooke., Canvey says...
11:50am Thu 7 Feb 08
LJK, Canvey says...
12:02pm Thu 7 Feb 08
Ian, Castle Point says...
11:08am Fri 8 Feb 08
LJK wrote:I belive you're right LJK.
I strongly believe that most of the last few replies above were written by the same person but using different names...
This is called progress and there will always be Nimbys. But just look at the map, and preferably a marine chart. The western end of Canvey or just the other side of the creek are the obvious places to span the Thames. It has been inevitable for fifty years, so it's about time it happened.
Steve, Canvey says...
6:59pm Tue 12 Feb 08
Katy, Kent says...
8:12am Wed 13 Feb 08
emms, canvey island says...
5:14pm Wed 13 Feb 08
OGGY, Canvey says...
1:19am Sun 2 Mar 08
The Earl of Southend wrote:You stick to your longest pier and your tatty golden mile, that your so proud of the place is stuck in a time wap
I dont really care, as long as there will be no more roads connecting us in Southend to those Webbed footed, seven fingered in-breds of Canvey Island!!!
CMW, Essex says...
4:32pm Tue 25 Mar 08
Canvey visitor, Dovercourt says...
8:15pm Sat 23 Aug 08
Government can make tax reductions for those working near their residences.
It's likely to happen sooner or later, why build another road to nowhere?
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S, Benfleet says...
9:03am Tue 5 Feb 08