Olympic Victory for LRA

We are delighted to announce that the LRA's recent objection to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has been supported. The ODA had proposed to bring as many as 20 HGVs an hour northbound to junction 5 of the M11, then crossing over Chigwell Lane to the southbound carriageway for the sole purpose of accessing the construction site of the ODA's new M11 Logistics Centre. This had come to the LRA's attention following a proposal to install traffic lights on the right-turn arm of the slip road leaving the M11 on Chigwell Lane.

The LRA is not opposed to the centre which will be used to provide security checks on HGVs headed for the Stratford Olympic site. However, the Chigwell Lane/ Langston Road/ Oakwood Hill junction is already congested at peak times and this would only have worsened matters.

In light of the LRA's comments, the ODA has agreed that the centre will only process vehicles which are travelling south. This will negate the need for any use of junction 5. Any

vehicles required to approach northbound will be booked into a further Logistics Centre at Barking, already under construction.

The LRA still has some unease about the effect on the Oakwood Estate of the long hours mooted for construction. However the fact that our concerns so far have been heeded is very positive.

You can view the webcast of the original meeting at http://www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/local_democracy/Webcasts_Meetings.asp

David Linnell