Marathon Thames Gateway Bridge meeting strenthens case for inquiry postponement - Toole

11.48.33pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 29th Apr 2005

Chris Le Breton, Dave Raval and Dr Steven Toole protesting against the bridge proposals

Liberal Democrat Candidates for South East and East London were represented at the latest marathon 12 hour 'procedural' meeting on the Thames Gateway Bridge Inquiry yesterday by Dr Steven Toole, Lib Dem candidate for Erith and Thamesmead.

The inspector leading the inquiry, Michael Ellison, has said that he will now report to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister with a recommendation regarding whether the start of the inquiry should be postponed.

Commenting on the meeting, Dr Steven Toole, said:

"This inquiry is mired in confusion. The inspector still couldn't say for sure who had actually called this meeting, whether it was taking place on any statutory legal basis, and whether it is right that decisions are made about the inquiry at a time when residents have no democratically elected representatives to argue their case for why the meeting should be postponed in Parliament with the Ministers of State. I applaud our local residents who kept the inspector in a marathon 12 hour session.

Dave Raval, parliamentary candidate for Bexleyheath and Crayford, who was present on behalf of the Liberal Democrats at the first Pre-Inquiry meeting, said:

"The events of this meeting illustrates more than ever before the need to postpone the beginning of the inquiry. The Inspector will make a recommendation to Ministers based on his own interpretation of events rather than the facts and that cannot be Right. The Liberal Democrats will continue to fight for a postponement, and the rights of the our residents. We are not going to stand back and allow this scheme to bulldozed through."