The 6 lane "A21 Pembury by-pass to Tonbridge by-pass dualling" was one of a number of trunk road schemes put in to review in 1997. Please find enclosed a copy of one of our submissions to the roads review for your consideration. Our objections remain. Additional points are:- A reduction in total transportation, the encouragement of local supply for local needs. Where transportation is necessary we support the switching of modes of transport to more sustainable forms such as rail. Vehicle emissions which are a major cause of respiratory illness and death, also cause global warming. Policy in the past has relied on vehicle emissions dropping through technical design fixes, such technical fixes have not occurred and are unlikely to achieve enough. The technical fixes have resulted in increased vehicle speed and acceleration, but not fuel efficiency, and can never deal with congestion. A high accident rate is often the results of high speeds. We are disappointed that one of the road schemes that will be going ahead as a result of the roads review is the Lamberhurst by-pass. A Tunbridge Wells Borough Council document 'Tunbridge Wells 2000+ (Transport issues)' of March 99 quotes figures of total vehicle flow between 7:00 and 19:00 as being 11,200 at Lamberhurst (Spray Hill) and at Kippings Cross 16,900, presuming that night-time traffic is significantly less than day time, it is difficult to conceive that the A21 ranks as a Trunk Road in either of these sections. This scheme in its approved form has a serious impact on the natural environmental. Lower rates of traffic flow on the A21 south of Tonbridge, make a good case for a de-trunk of the whole section south of Tonbridge. The A21 runs parallel with the rail line to Hastings. The rail is an excellent access to Hastings. Hastings is served by coastal rail linking with Dover and hence Europe. The restoration of the rail line from Tunbridge Wells to Brighton would further enhance the network providing links via Tunbridge Wells to Ashford international rail station. If there is a need for a by-pass of Lamberhurst for the local need, then a more modest county council financed scheme should be considered. Our Borough Council is lobbying for widening of this stretch despite these much lower traffic flows. This seems quite illogical. We have included some additional information, over page.
 

Yours faithfully
Andrew Lohmann
Val Catt

Rail for freight and for short distance travel outside of London Since our submissions to the roads review where we supported the restoration of Lewes-Uckfield-West Station-Tunbridge Wells rail line for heavy rail and the restoration or creation of a railway line Tunbridge Wells to Ashford. we add our support to the creation of Rail sidings and passenger stations in Tunbridge Wells at Good Station Road and North Farm Industrial Estate. This will further encourage smaller, short haul van runs in town rather than long haul lorries. The restoration of rail line is probably a matter for Rail Track to finance, but however it is financed we urge GOSE to pursue it.