4 January 2019
On a couple of occassions last year there were murmerings in the local media attempting to stir up interest to revive the Dibden Bay Container Terminal idea. Hopefully this will not happen.
One major problem is traffic levels. Part of the 2004 public inquiry, which cost Associated British Ports £45 million, covered the viability of whether the present waterside railway could be reopened. This would be to accommodate the millions of containers expected to be arriving and departing at the new terminal. It was reported that one train expert from Hampshire County Council had said that this was 'UNREALISTIC, unproven, insufficient, impractical, questionable'.
Left with the only route to and from the proposed development being the A326, a road already chock-a-bloc with too much traffic, the development is going to make congestion much worse. The industrial development on the old Fawley power station land including new housing developments along the road will mean that the road has already reached over capacity.
It will also seriously worsen the already bad air quality in the area and in Southampton due to the S.Westerly prevailing winds.
These latest calls for the destruction of a recognised habitat, where wildlife currently have a refuge, will cause further environmental degradation.
There has already been massive investment around Southampton to support the present operations. The success of our container port saw DP World win the 'Port Operator of the Year Award 2018'. Southampton can berth the largest container ships in the world and with the latest up-to-date cranes on the new 500m quay (completed in 2014) turnaround times can smash world records.
Lastly the looming shackles on the British Economy that Brexit will cause means that UK trade is hardly likely to spiral out of control. Let the Dibden Bay Container idea gather dust and not be re-opened.
Regional News
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