Councillor Bentley’s (Essex County Council cabinet member for highways) plan to increase and speed up HGVs through Essex needs to be challenged. An alternative vision would focus on sustainably developing our rural economy for its residents, founded on what we have now (but is not valued enough) in the leisure, hospitality and tourism sectors, boosting small business (the engine of employment) and giving our rural communities recognition and real protection by being at the heart of our economic strategic thinking. I believe we need three steps in that vision: 1) Develop and implement Essex Strategic Lorry Routes (ESLR). 2) Develop and implement Strategic Tourist Routes (STR).