Conference Papers 2014

Seminar
Day 3 (1 Oct 2014), Session 7, Transport Infrastructure Investment, 09:00 - 11:00

Status
Accepted, awaiting documents

Submitted by / Abstract owner
David Bull

Authors
David Bull, Thurrock Council

Short abstract
The paper will outline the transportation infrastructure needed to support Thurrock’s Growth Agenda. Specifically it will look at highway and public transport infrastructure improvements for the wide area linked to three major developments.

Abstract
Thurrock – A Transport Infrastructure Led Growth Agenda
J Kent, Thurrock Council
David Bull, Director of Planning and Transportation, Thurrock Council
Ann Osola, Head of Transportation and Highways, Thurrock Council

This paper will look at the local good practice leveraging step-change economic growth, jobs and quality of life enhancements from investment in nationally significant strategic transport infrastructure and networks. Thurrock hosts Europe’s biggest new deep water port at London Gateway, the massive new logistics park to support it, the adjacent Oilport and proposed Energy Technology Park and the expansion of one of Europe’s largest retail centres at Lakeside on the M25. These sites are catalysts for investment which have been at the centre of progressive plans for development to create 18,500 new homes and 26,000 new jobs in the Local Authority area.

London Gateway Port, the UK’s most significant new major deep-sea container port in the UK in the last 20 years, was opened in November 2012 in the East of Thurrock. It occupies a 600 ha site with a 2.7km long wharf with six births which can accommodate the world’s largest, 400m long, container ships. In time the port will handle more than 3.5million container units a year. The UK’s biggest Local Development Order has been agreed that allows development of an 830,000 sq.m logistics park over the next ten years to support the operation of the port. The transportation infrastructure to support the port and logistics park is significant as the development will eventually generate over 27,000 vehicles a day including 7,000 heavy goods vehicles.

Lakeside is a regional centre with 275,000 sq.m gross retail and leisure gross floorspace. The Shopping Centre has 140,000 sq.m gross goods floorspace. It has 260 units, including restaurants and leisure uses. Planning permission was granted in 2013 for a an extension of 30,000 sq.m net goods floorspace and ancillary leisure uses. A planning agreement includes for new bus rail interchange and bridge over a Lake to improve accessibility. Planning permission was also granted in December 2013 for 25,000 sq.m leisure floorspace, including extension/reconfiguration to existing cinema, new family entertainment centre, café bars, restaurants and a hotel, together with a new public square and associated public realm enhancements.

A former oil refinery site was purchased in 2011 by a consortium of 3 companies, ‘Thames Oilport’, whose interest centred on the use of the deep water berths on the river Thames for the importation of oil to the UK. The remainder of the site, away from the river, totals over 300 ha of vacant employment land. The Council is working on a masterplan that is aimed at the site becoming the UK’s largest ‘environmental technology’ location, with embedded educational and skills offers via Universities and other relevant bodies.

The paper will outline the transportation infrastructure needed to support Thurrock’s ten billion euro Growth Agenda and the regeneration centres along the 27km of the River Thames waterfront. Specifically it will look at highway and public transport infrastructure improvements for the wide area.

The infrastructure provision is through Government investment, developer contributions and by Thurrock Council through the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and Local Transport Board. These improvements include local and nationally important schemes with major road widening and junction improvements on the A13, improvements to the M25 at junction 30, the implementation of the Governments free flow tolling for 58.4 million vehicles a year on the Queen Elizabeth 2 bridge on the M25 and traffic management across the area. Also outlined will be the provision of a new rail freight link from London Gateway to the national network and the agreements with Network Rail towards closing level crossings to prevent traffic congestion, creating public transport interchanges and rebuilding three rail stations.