County councillor Tracey Chapman’s assertions that Roscommon Way will reduce accidents along Northwick Road and Canvey Road is purely speculative and does not take into consideration other potential accident hotspots that may develop on the new road and its junction with Haven Road, and ultimately Thorney Bay Road Additionally, the main way to attract investment and stimulate growth is to show investors that getting on and off Canvey is easy, safe and sustainable, and to do this the only answer is a third access road.

Finally, she states the new road will have the capacity to assist the evacuation in the event of a flood emergency.

Evacuate to where? The new road only runs back into the two existing road systems that then have to route through Canvey Way or Benfleet, so this statement at best just means another section of road with a traffic jam in such an emergency.

If Mrs Chapman wants to make a real difference to the people and infrastructure of Canvey, she needs to get behind councillor Ray Howard and support and promote his efforts to get that third road built.

Keith Barber
Clinton Road
Canvey

...It will be difficult for Tracey Chapman to convince the Canvey community Roscommon Way will ever give value for money.

This venture was, and still is, driven by Essex County Council. It is seen to be for the benefit of developers and the expanding oil storage site of Oikos.

The expansion of Charfleets Industrial Estate will only, if development is allowed to traverse hazardous substance-carrying pipelines, promote further heavy vehicle movements The attraction of limited, low-paid jobs, unless only available to islanders, will also promote car movement.

Mrs Chapman overstates the value of Roscommon Way for emergency evacuation of Canvey in the case of flooding.

She clearly does not know this road converges at Waterside Farm roundabout which, apart from being a major bottleneck, has been identified in the newly - commissioned strategic flood risk assessment, as rapidly becoming impassable when confronted by a sea defence breach.

Mrs Chapman should explain, if there is a plan to evacuate Canvey from possible flooding, what that plan is.

Would it not be a good idea to prepare residents, who are under the impression that, due to the lack of access and flood safe havens, the message of go in, stay in and tune in is all that is on offer, leaving very few options for the island’s community?

Richard Walker
Colindale Close
Canvey