“The Mayor’s public consultation is a complete sham. Residents were consulted in such a way as to give the Mayor the rubber stamp he was looking for.
Not only that, but he also has no clear idea of how much traffic the bridge will generate nor which East London roads will be faced with gridlock.
He has also deliberately delayed the assessment of the environmental impact until after the public consultation,” declared Cllr Darren Johnson, Leader of the Green Party Group in the London Assembly.
“Residents were sold the bridge as a local link rather than as the six-lane motorway that is actually is.
People simply haven’t had all the information – traffic growth figures have changed, but even more importantly, no public transport alternatives have been put forward.
We are also worried because the air quality assessment hasn’t been completed – it will make it harder for the Mayor to hit the legally binding EU targets for clean air in 2005 and 2010”, declared Jenny Jones, Green Deputy Mayor of London.
Transport and campaign groups believe that the bridge will bring more traffic, congestion and pollution to East London residents. They also claim that the bridge will fail to provide the promised regeneration, access to employment and much-needed sustainable economic development.
ENDS