Blog ARCHIVE
Lower Thames Crossing delay – an opportunity to do better
Transport Action Network (TAN) today welcomed the delay but nonetheless urged Transport Secretary Louise Haigh to scrap the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) as the planning decision was postponed for a second time [1]. TAN said Louise Haigh should use the time to examine the significant concerns with the...
Lower Thames Crossing needs to be put out of its misery
Lower Thames Crossing needs to be put out of its misery Transport Action Network (TAN) is pleased that Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has not approved the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) today [1]. However, TAN believes that the project needs to be scrapped as soon as possible so that...
Complaint filed about National Highways’ behaviour over Lower Thames Crossing
Transport Action Network (TAN) yesterday filed a formal complaint to the regulator of National Highways (NH), the Office for Rail and Road (ORR), about National Highways’ inappropriate attempts to influence the decision making process for the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) [1]. Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, has a critical decision...
Lower Thames Crossing Failings Exposed in Expert Report
Lower Thames Crossing Failings Exposed in Expert Report With the UK Government imminently expected to take crucial decisions on the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC), Transport Action Network (TAN) today released a devastating independent report into the legacy Conservative scheme which it has submitted to Labour’s Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh MP....
Lower Thames Crossing, by Dr Colin Black
Dr Colin Black, a highly experienced transport consultant, led the charge in scrutinising the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC). As the strategic lead prior to and during the 2023 LTC Development Consent Order (DCO) examination for Thurrock Council, he played a pivotal role in reviewing its potential impacts. In this brief...
Government urged to save money and boost growth by cancelling Conservative road schemes
Government urged to save money and boost growth by cancelling Conservative road schemes Transport Action Network (TAN) today published its submission to the urgent review of the UK Department for Transport’s infrastructure capital spending portfolio, commissioned by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP. The review was launched on 30 July, the...
Rishi Sunak’s claims on £1.5bn A66 are wrong
Rishi Sunak’s claims on £1.5bn A66 are wrong Transport Action Network (TAN) today responded to Rishi Sunak’s lobbying for the £1.5 billion A66 Northern Trans Pennine scheme in his Richmond and Northallerton constituency [1]. The project would dual the remaining sections of single carriageway on this route. Mr Sunak claimed...
National Highways accused of wasting public money ahead of infrastructure review decisions
National Highways accused of wasting public money ahead of infrastructure review decisions Transport Action Network (TAN) has today accused National Highways of wasting public money ahead of a review of road projects by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh [1]. TAN has received reports from communities across England that National Highways is...
Rail and urban transport report welcomed
Rail and urban transport report welcomed Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] is welcoming the publication yesterday of the Rail and urban transport review, led by Juergen Maier CBE [2]. The review was commissioned by Labour when in opposition, to help the UK deliver the rail and urban transport infrastructure for...
Large road schemes in the Transport Infrastructure Review
On 30 July 2024, the Transport Secretary Louise Haigh announced a Transport Infrastructure Review. This will include all road schemes in National Highways' roads programme, many of which are unaffordable and outdated, trying to solve 20th century problems. The funding would be better used for vital rail freight, public transport...
Filling the holes
Rachel Reeves might have a huge hole in the country’s finances to plug, but road users are rightly concerned about the large number of potholes that need filling. The latest findings from the RAC’s annual survey shows that the majority of drivers are fed up with the state of Britain's...
Lower Thames Crossing Myths and Facts
(click on a Myth to take you to more detailed evidence below) MythsFactsIt is going aheadThe LTC does not have any funding secured, nor a financial model agreed. It is far from a done deal.It would relieve traffic at the Dartford Crossing by 20%Any reduction in traffic at Dartford would...
Pause on unaffordable road schemes welcomed
Pause on unaffordable road schemes welcomed Transport Action Network (TAN) [1] is welcoming the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves’ likely announcement this afternoon to pause a number of large road schemes due to a lack of funding [2]. Reeves is quite correct to seize control of spending on unaffordable major road projects...
King’s Speech Analysis
Labour has hit the ground running since the election in July. Forty Bills were announced in the first Kings Speech of this Parliament, setting a challenging timetable. It will be interesting to see whether the new Government can keep up this pace and deliver. In terms of surface transport, there...
Bridge infill scandals
When British Rail was broken up for privatisation, its assets were dispersed amongst various players in the rail industry or flogged off, often with little thought to their wider value or importance. For some bizarre reason National Highways, a company solely focussed on maintaining and developing the strategic roads network,...
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