1. www.lowestoftjournal24.co.uk 90pFriday, May 1, 2015
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Page 34
andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
By ANDREW PAPWORTH
It was a firm and clear commitment
- under the Conservatives, Prime
Minister David Cameron said
Lowestoft WILL get a third crossing
by 2020.
Now the town asks...can you keep
your promise?
On a visit to Lowestoft just ahead
of the general election, Mr Cameron
said the long awaited new bridge over
Lake Lothing “has got to be done in
the next Parliament. It has gone on
long enough”.
He added that: “The electorate
know what they’re getting with the
Conservatives.
“They get the A11, they get the A12,
they will get a third crossing.”
But that pledge has been
widely criticised by his
opponents in Waveney, who say he
made an opportunistic promise
just a couple of weeks ahead of an
election which the Conservatives
say could be decided by just
hundreds of votes in the
constituency.
“This is a desperate ploy by a
desperate politician,” said Labour
parliamentary candidate Bob
Blizzard. “Making a promise like
that less than two weeks before an
election is something few people will
believe.”
UKIP parliamentary candidate
Simon Tobin added: “You can’t just
after all these years just suddenly
get the Prime Minister to roll up and
promise a crossing - it just doesn’t
wash with people on the ground.”
However in a follow-up visit to
Lowestoft just days after the Prime
Minister, transport secretary Patrick
McLoughlin said: “It is a brave
minister of any sort who undermines
what he says.
“The target is 2020, and I am happy
to meet that.”
FULL STORY – page 4
Will you
keep your
crossing
promise, David?
I Third crossing – Page 4-7
I Cameron’s historic visit
to The Journal – Page 10
I Coin toss to decide
result? – Page 8
I Candidates – Page 68-71

2. 4 Friday, May 1, 2015 The Journal online: www.lowestoftjournal24.co.uk
ELECTIONS 2015
Opportunistic pledge
or a clear promise?
andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
By ANDREW PAPWORTH
Prime minister David Cameron has
pledged Lowestoft’s long-awaited
third crossing would be built by
2020 under a future Conservative
government on a visit to the town –
but has been accused of making an
opportunistic promise a couple of
weeks ahead of the election.
In what his political aides described
a “game-changing” moment, Mr
Cameron said: “It has got to be done
in the next parliament. It has gone
on long enough.”
He said he believed a consensus
had developed behind where a
new bridge should be built, after
Waveney’s Conservative candidate
Peter Aldous changed his view to
favour the more popular “central”
route over Lake Lothing.
He had backed an “eastern” option,
near the existing Bascule bridge,
which was widely criticised. Mr
Cameron said the money needed
for the scheme – thought to be
about £80million – was available
from a mixture of central and local
government funding.
“The electorate know what they’re
getting with the Conservatives,” he
said. “They get the A11, they get the
A12, they will get the third crossing.”
However his political opponents
have criticised him for making a
promise so close to a general election
after not giving any guarantees
about whether or not a crossing
would be built on his previous visits
to the town.
It was a strong change in position
from his last visit to Lowestoft in
February when he stopped short
of giving any firm commitment,
saying it was down to Suffolk County
Council to draw up a plan.
Bob Blizzard, Labour’s
parliamentary candidate for
Waveney, said: “This is a desperate
ploy by a desperate politician.
Making a promise like that less
than two weeks before an election is
something few people will believe.”
However Labour has also been
criticised for not being clear about
its position on a third crossing.
On a visit to Lowestoft in December,
Labour leader Ed Miliband also
stopped short of a firm commitment
– but it was later reported that he
had said a third crossing would be
built once a scheme has been put
forward by Suffolk County Council.
Labour has also not pledged a date
when the crossing would be built.
“The commitment is that as soon as
a bid comes in, it will get built,” Mr
Blizzard said.
Mr Aldous said: “One of the things
I hear is people saying we’ve heard
it all before and that they don’t
believe it will happen.”
A scheme for a third crossing
was stopped by the Thatcher
government, and Mr Cameron was
also shown a map dating back to
1966 – the year he was born – to
highlight how long the issue has
rumbled on.
“All I can say is that if I’m
re-elected, it’s my duty and a
Conservative government’s to hold
to the commitment made here today
to make sure that does happen.”
The Conservative manifesto,
published last week, also lists a
commitment that a study for a third
crossing in Lowestoft will be ready
by the 2016 Budget.
I What do you think? Write, giving
your full contact details, to: Journal
Postbox, 147 London Road North,
Lowestoft NR32 1NB or email
andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
I Comment – Page 28
A good-natured if spirited
debate was held between the
parliamentary candidates
standing in Waveney in The
Journal’s online hustings.
Readers logged on at 7pm on
Wednesday to read what Peter
Aldous (Conservative), Bob
Blizzard (Labour), Graham
Elliott (Green), Simon Tobin
(UKIP) and Doug Farmer, who
was standing in for Liberal
Democrat candidate Steve
Gordon, had to say.
Held in The Journal’s office in
London Road North, Lowestoft
the candidates started by
saying why they believed
residents should vote for their
parties at the general election
on May 7. Debate then moved
on to job creation in Waveney,
how to keep young people safe
out of school, what is being
done to bring business to the
area and, of course, the third
crossing. Journal editor
Andrew Papworth (seated) is
pictured with Peter Aldous,
Doug Farmer, Graham Elliott
and Simon Tobin. Bob Blizzard
logged on remotely.
GOOD-NATURED
DEBATE IS HELD
Prime Minister David Cameron
encouraged people to get out and visit
the Suffolk coast - having revealed that
he holidayed himself to Lowestoft 10
years ago.
During his visit to Lowestoft last week,
Mr Cameron recalled how he had spent
time on Lowestoft beach shortly after
being elected as Conservative leader in
2005.
Mr Cameron said: “I remember buying
a tent in Lowestoft for my son so he
didn’t get burnt on the beach.
I remember it well because it was a hot
day.”
He described the “blistering heat” and
said the town had left a “lasting
impression”.
However today he says that tourism
within the UK is “an industry we can do
much better at” and encouraged
people to come and see the Suffolk
coast.
“I think we undersell ourselves,” he
said.
“I think we need to get people out of
London. Where better to come than the
Broads, come to see our coast, come
to see our heritage.”
He also praised the “fantastic heritage
in East Anglia” and said his government
had made extra money available for
places such as Norwich Castle.
“We have returned the Lottery to the
good causes, making sure heritage gets
good funding,” he said.
“The heritage assets we have as a
country are such a draw to the rest of
the world.”
He highlighted the government’s
“GREAT” campaign to encourage
people to visit different parts of the
country, adding that it would be funded
all the way through the next Parliament
if a Conservative government is in
charge.
Mr Cameron said: “I am definitely in the
market for more things to do to
promote tourism. It is one of the fastest
job creators in the country, it is an
industry we can do so much better at.
“There is going to be an enormous
increase in middle class tourists from
China, India and Brazil. Britain is doing
better now than we were and we can
do even better in the future - and I will
make sure the whole country benefits
from it.
“This is a great national strength for us,
and you have got a lot of very important
attractions along those lines right here.”
However opponents have said one of
the barriers to people coming to
Lowestoft - whether it is to live, work or
visit - is its transport links from the rest
of the country.
Mr Cameron said that the government
understood “the infrastructure lesson”
and had brought about improvements
to the A11, A12 and A47 - and would
bring about more which help Lowestoft
in the future.
PRIME MINISTER URGES HOLIDAYMAKERS TO VISIT SUFFOLK COAST
VIEW: Prime Minister David Cameron with Conservative candidate Peter Aldous looking over the Bascule
bridge in Lowestoft.
VISIT: David Cameron with Peter
Aldous.
TOUR: Prime Minister David Cameron visiting Lowestoft.
Pictures: NICK BUTCHER

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SUPPORT: Mr McLoughlin looking at the potential third crossing site.
Minister’s backing
for PM’s pledge
joe.randlesome@archant.co.uk
By JOE RANDLESOME
Transport secretary Patrick
McLoughlin has said the
Conservatives will keep their third
crossing pledge, saying: “It is a brave
minister of any sort who undermines
what he says.”
Visiting Lowestoft on Wednesday a
few days after Mr Cameron’s visit,
Mr McLoughlin said: “The Prime
Minister has made the pledge.
“The target is 2020, and I am happy
to meet that.”
After visiting the proposed sites at
the end of March, he told the voting
public to “judge us by our actions”.
This time, more of an emphasis was
putontheinfrastructuredevelopment
that has been completed, which
prompted the transport secretary to
say “judge us by our record”.
Mr McLoughlin met Conservative
candidate Peter Aldous at the south
bank of Lake Lothing, close to
the Asda store in Lowestoft, and
responded to criticisms that the
promise made by the Prime Minister
was hard to see happening in terms
of actual development.
“When the Prime Minister makes
a pledge, then don’t underestimate
the authority that that pledge has,”
he said.
“It is very easy for people to attack
what we are saying now, but judge us
on our record.
“The A11 has been dualled, there
are plans to improve the A47 and the
Northern Spine Road was opened
just three weeks ago.
“Often people say politicians are all
talk and no action but in this case, I
can point to three very big schemes.”
The transport secretary also
described the third crossing as “very
realistic”, with “money set aside to
do the study” which will provide an
“important piece of infrastructure”
When asked whether he faced any
hold-ups on his visit, the transport
secretary replied that “the traffic
wasn’t too bad today, believe it or
not”.
Waveney Conservative candidate
Peter Aldous said: “This government
has a very good record in the last five
years of major road infrastructure
projects so judge us by our actions.
“From my perspective, the third
crossing is something we have needed
for a long time. I am conscious that
people here are very cynical but from
my perspective I am getting the right
noises from the conservative bodies
which leads me to believe we have the
opportunity to really drive forward
and deliver it”
Suffolk County Council leader Mark
Bee added: “This visit has cemented
the commitment that we had last
week from the Prime Minister.
“To now have the transport
secretary here sends a very strong
message on how committed we are to
seeing this through.”
I What do you think of the Prime
Minister’s promise? Email andrew.
papworth@archant.co.uk
Pictures: NICK BUTCHER
VIEW: Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin with Conservative
parliamentary Peter Aldous, left, and district council leader Colin Law.
ELECTIONS 2015 The Journal online:
www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk

4. 6 Friday, May 1, 2015 The Journal online: www.lowestoftjournal24.co.uk
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ELECTIONS 2015
Parties’ views on key
The Conservatives have now pledged they will
build a third crossing by 2020 if elected. But
what are the other parties proposing? Journal
editor ANDREW PAPWORTH spoke to each about
one of Lowestoft’s key election issues.
Steve Gordon, the Liberal Democrats’
parliamentary candidate for
Waveney, said he has “picked up on the
frustration of people in Lowestoft” over the third
crossing, adding: “It has dragged on for too long.
“Lowestoft needs investment in
terms of creating jobs and housing and improving
tourism access to it. The third crossing shouldn’t
be considered in isolation – you’ve got to look at
it within the wider road scheme.”
His party believes a scheme slightly to the
west of what is proposed would work
best.
Asked what reassurance he could give that the
Liberal Democrats would deliver a third crossing,
Mr Gordon said it would
be top of his priorities if elected as Waveney’s
MP.
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
CANDIDATE: Steve Gordon.

5. Friday, May 1, 2015 7The Journal online: www.lowestoftjournal24.co.uk
ELECTIONS 2015
Much of the talk in recent weeks has been
about constructing a new bridge in the
‘central’ or ‘eastern’ locations over Lake
Lothing.
However the UK Independence Party (UKIP)
says that the suggestion of an immersed
tunnel system “had only got a negative
response from the authorities”.
However as a former construction engineer,
UKIP parliamentary candidate Simon Tobin
said he “could immediately see its potential”
– and believes consultants WSP should have
examined the option in the report they
produced on the third crossing for Suffolk
County Council late last year.
Mr Tobin said: “This option works because it
gives you 24/7 movement of traffic and 24/7
movement of shipping.
“A bridge is going to be high maintenance
and is going to look horrific right across
Lowestoft. Let’s consider that this will still
need to be opened for large ships.”
He believes that the tunnel option should be
considered in the £2million funding from this
year’s Budget to do further analysis into the
best scheme.
He added that the town of Conwy in Wales
is perhaps the closest example to Lowestoft
in that it needed a crossing many years ago
– and went with a tunnel system.
Yet despite saying the tunnel option is
UKIP’s preference, Mr Tobin said: “Naturally
the most important thing is to have a central
third crossing.”
Mr Tobin has pledged that he will “live and die
by getting this crossing” but said few people
would believe David Cameron’s promise on
the issue.
UK INDEPENDENCE PARTY
Labour’s parliamentary candidate for
Waveney, Bob Blizzard, has worked with
Peter Colby to come up with a tidal barrage
design working on Dutch Polder Dam designs
in a ‘central’ location over Lake Lothing.
Lock gates at either end of the bridge allow
ships to pass through unhindered whilst traffic
would continue to flow across the river, the
pair say.
A cycle lane has also been incorporated into
the plans and Mr Colby said the scheme
would provide important flood protection to
protect the town from a situation like the one
in December 2013.
However Labour’s opponents accused the
party of confusion over its commitment to the
third crossing following party leader Ed
Miliband’s visit to the town in December.
After being interviewed by The Journal he did
not give a commitment to the scheme – but
was then quoted on Mr Blizzard’s website
saying Labour who back any scheme
submitted by Suffolk County Council.
Mt Blizzard said: “The commitment is that as
soon as a bid comes in, it will get built.”
However the party has still not offered a date
by which it says a crossing will be built,
saying it will be dependent on when Suffolk
County Council submits a bid.
LABOUR
In recent times the debate has been about
where to put a third crossing, rather than if
one should be built.
However Graham Elliott, the Green Party’s
parliamentary candidate for Waveney, said:
“The problem is not that we need a third
crossing – the problem is that we’ve got an
unreliable second crossing and we need a
solution to that.
“We don’t believe a central road third
crossing is desirable or affordable. If you
have a central pedestrian and cycle
crossing, you will achieve far more.”
Mr Elliott believes that by building a cycle
and pedestrian bridge instead of one for
cars that the town would achieve a modal
shift away from vehicles to more
environmentally friendly forms of transport.
That is because with such a bridge, Mr
Elliott said, people would be faced with a
10-minute walk or cycle over the bridge or a
10-minute journey by car around it – and
would choose to save money on fuel as a
result.
“People start making the right decision for
their own selfish reasons and you can have
a reduction in traffic,” he said. “There is
huge potential for switching modes of travel.
“Even if there is only a small shift, it will help
solve part of the problem. The benefits are
just massive.
“The third crossing won’t solve all our problems
and at a high cost probably won’t be delivered.
“We got to think of long-term, sustainable and
healthy options that will benefit people.”
GREEN PARTY
third crossing election debate
DIFFERENT SOLUTION: Graham
Elliott.
TUNNEL OPTION: Simon Tobin.
CAMPAIGN: Bob Blizzard.

6. 10 Friday, May 1, 2015 The Journal online: www.lowestoftjournal24.co.uk
ELECTIONS 2015
Prime Minister in historic
visit to The Journal
David Cameron made a historic visit
to the Lowestoft Journal office – the
first prime minister ever to have
done so.
Mr Cameron arrived in the town
last Friday, April 24 by car.
However he was fortunate not to
get held up on his way, as a traffic
nightmare can often ensue when the
Bascule bridge is lifted to let boats
pass.
After meeting Waveney
Conservative candidate Peter
Aldous to view Lake Lothing from
the Bascule bridge control building,
Mr Cameron could be seen walking
through the town centre on his way
to The Journal’s offices in London
Road North, which is also home to
the Eastern Daily Press’ Lowestoft
branch.
He chatted briefly to members of
the public outside before being met
by Journal editor Andrew Papworth
and given a tour of the newspaper’s
premises.
Mr Cameron took a keen interest in
The Journal’s front page story about
a bid to revive Lowestoft’s historic
Claremont Pier, which is being
supported with a £10,000 grant from
the government’s coastal revival
fund.
He also read the paper’s four-
page election special with interest,
particularly stories about foreign
secretary Philip Hammond’s visit
to Lowestoft earlier that week and
an article about Waveney UKIP
candidate Simon Tobin’s business
failure.
He also took a brief look at the
television schedules for the coming
week, saying of the BBC show
Masterchef: “It’s too professional
now, it’s not real people any more.”
He recounted how he had spent
time on Lowestoft beach shortly after
being elected as Conservative leader
in 2005, and how he bought a tent in
the town so his son Ivan did not get
burned in the “blistering heat”.
The town had “left a lasting
impression”, he said.
During the visit he was shown
a map of plans for where a third
crossing could be built in 1966, the
year he was born.
“We showed it to him to highlight
just how long the issue has been
dragging on and the years of broken
promises residents have put up with
over the issue,” Mr Papworth said.
What did you think of Prime
Minister David Cameron’s visit?
Write, giving your full contact details,
to: Journal Postbox, 147 London Road
North, Lowestoft NR32 1NB or email
andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
VISIT: Prime Minister
David Cameron at the
Lowestoft Journal
office. He is pictured
with Journal editor
Andrew Papworth,
left, and Peter Aldous,
right, Conservative
parliamentary
candidate for
Waveney.
ABOVE: The Journal team showed David Cameron a road map of
Lowestoft from 1966, showing a proposed location for a third crossing.
Pictures: NICK BUTCHER
Pictures: NICK BUTCHER