Comment
Strategic Growth Options
Representation ID: 4600
Received: 16/02/2015
Respondent: J. Littlechild
A detailed plan for the infrastructure, especially in the A127 Corridor, needs to be in place before any other development takes place. Insufficient consideration seems to have been given to the effect of development in West Horndon (and Dunton Garden Suburb) on the A128 as well as the A127 and also along the entire length of the C2C rail line.
What provision is being made for calls on health, education, community facilities and green infrastructure? They are identified as significant but the consultation document lacks detail.
Residential and employment development must go hand-in-hand with infrastructure development; this should include roads, rail, flood risk offsetting, education and health. The focus appears to be on Crossrail and links to Brentwood Town Centre. These are important but, given the scale of the potential development within the A127 Corridor, a completely fresh transport strategy needs to be developed for this area.
As previously stated, the A127 is running at near, if not actually at, capacity. No mention is made of the A128, which links the A127 and A12 and is the only direct link for West Horndon with Brentwood Town Centre. How would the increased traffic on the A128 be accommodated?
The C2C rail line is also at, or very nearly at, capacity and, with any development along its course from Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street, will be overstretched. It consists of an 'up' line and a 'down' line with no apparent room for expansion into a four-track line.
What public transport links will be developed between Brentwood, Basildon, West Horndon, and the probable Dunton Garden Suburb to link all of them with each other? The bus 'service' currently running between West Horndon (via Bulphan) and Brentwood is not the most useful.
Pressure on other services, such as education and health, also needs to be planned for before any actual residential building takes place.