§ Lord Swinfenasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they will take to minimise the damage to Eltham and to Oxleas Wood of the road to the proposed East London River Crossing.
The Minister of State, Department of Transport (The Earl of Caithness)We remain committed to meeting the need for a new road link across the Thames in east London as a key element in the strategy to regenerate the East Thames Corridor. However, following a reappraisal we have been undertaking, we have decided that the current scheme, designed and chosen some time ago, fails to meet the high environmental standards we now apply to new road schemes.
68WAWe have therefore decided not to proceed with current plans. We shall examine alternative solutions which meet the same strategic objectives, but which will have less impact on the local environment. We will bring forward new proposals for the scheme, and in so doing will explore opportunities for greater involvement by the private sector and a design competition for the bridge over the Thames, as suggested by the Royal Fine Arts Commission.
This decision is quite independent of the infraction proceedings instigated by the European Commission. It remains clear that the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive should not apply to projects which were in the pipeline when it came into force, and we will continue to contest the proceedings brought by the Commission.