18 November - The Gallion’s Reach Bridge. Teresa O’Neill’s part in its downfall
At
the time Boris Johnson was first elected Mayor in 2008 two of our Thameside
neighbours, Greenwich and Newham were in favour of a new Thames bridge. Only
Bexley council stood against it and in a supreme act of NIMBYism convinced the
Tory mayor, who owed his victory to the Bexley councillors who ran his election
campaign, that it would much prefer that Greenwich should suffer further
congestion and pollution rather than Bexley. The fact that Bexley’s former leader,
Ian Clement, had become
Boris Johnson’s right hand man and the new Bexley leader, Teresa O’Neill, represented the
Bexley ward most likely to be affected by a bridge ensured SE London continues
to be at a transport disadvantage. A political stitch up if ever there was one.
The only valid objection Bexley council ever raised against the bridge was Knee
Hill. No one was clever enough to think up a scheme for encouraging heavy
traffic to use the A2016 instead. If it wasn’t for Bexley council this area
would within the next few months be due to get easier access to the North and
the job opportunities that would bring.
But not even a road block the size of Teresa O’Neill can impede progress for ever,
so a new set of proposals is on offer and consultations are currently in
progress. There was a small ‘Road Show’ in Abbey Wood yesterday and
more are to follow. If you go you will be given a rather nice
explanatory booklet. Several options are available, a new bridge alongside
Blackwall, a refurbished Woolwich Free Ferry, a new ferry at Gallions reach or a
bridge at the same site (see map) and closing the Woolwich Ferry. Although it is
claimed that no decision have been taken the emphasis is very much on tolling all the crossings.
When
I attended the Road Show there were about ten people present and views were
fairly strongly held and I was pleased to note that Bexley council was getting
its fair share of blame for the present unacceptable situation. One lady was of
the opinion that what was good enough for Dartford i.e. constantly increasing
tolls, was good enough for London but everyone else was 100% against tolls. Too
many of us have to get to North East and possibly Central London by car each day
and the assumed £20 a week toll charges would go down like the proverbial lead balloon.
There were very specific references to the dishonesty of politicians
and the failure to adhere to the promises made in respect of the Dartford
crossing was held up as the prime example.
The consultation booklet reveals that if the Gallions ferry goes ahead any prospect of a
bridge will disappear for 20 years. The decision is incredibly important for
London and Bexley’s dishonest Conservative administration should not be allowed
to unduly influence it in return for political favours. Get yourself to
www.tfl.gov.uk/rivercrossings
and have your say.
One of the Road Show visitors was keen to point out that the proposed Gallions
bridge had, unlike the one Boris cancelled, no special provision for buses or the
DLR and if it and the Silvertown Tunnel both went ahead (and the Woolwich Ferry
closed) the total capacity would be no greater than Ken Livingstone’s scheme.
The Mayor’s website says “More river crossings will help our city grow” and no
one can argue with that. Obviously improved infrastructure must be paid for somehow.
If the whole of our city is going to benefit the whole of our city should
pay. It was a philosophy good enough to justify the Olympic levy on London, the
same should apply to essential river crossings.