Proposals for a £9 billion road tunnel connecting Kent and Essex have officially received governmental approval.
The much-discussed Lower Thames Crossing, featuring a 14.5-mile roadway with a 2.6-mile tunnel under the River Thames, received development consent from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander on Tuesday morning, as stated by the Planning Inspectorate.
The work on the project has been continuing since 2009, having consumed more than £1 billion of public funds. The efforts have faced numerous delays and controversies from start to finish.
The objective of the Lower Thames Crossing project is to ease the congestion at the Dartford Crossing by developing a new motorway-standard route.
This connection between the A2 and M2 in Kent with the A13 and M25 in Essex would occur through what could become Britain’s longest road tunnel.
It is anticipated that this could almost double road capacity across the Thames east of
London
.
National Highways said the government is ‘currently exploring private finance options for the project’.
The construction might begin next year, with the anticipation of the new road opening in the early 2030s.
This route aims to ease traffic on the orbital M25, connecting with it close to South Ockenden in Essex. Additionally, it will link up with the M2 near Rochester in Kent.
Matt Palmer, who serves as the national highways executive director for the Lower Thames Crossing project, referred to it as “one of the most significant infrastructure initiatives in the United Kingdom.”
He said: ‘It will unlock growth with quicker, safer and more reliable journeys, and redraw the blueprint for building major projects in a net-zero future by scaling up the use of low-carbon construction, and leaving a legacy of green spaces, green skills.
‘Ours plans were crafted based on input from the local community and then fine-tuned through thorough scrutiny conducted by impartial specialists.’
Mr Palmer stated that National Highways is dedicated to ‘collaborating with our neighbors’ to construct the crossing in a manner that provides them ‘chances to work and acquire new abilities while minimizing negative effects.’
“We are prepared for immediate action and have secured our delivery partners. Today’s decision enables us to collaborate with the government on securing funds and begin thorough planning, which will allow us to commence construction at the earliest opportunity,” he stated.
David Wells, CEO of the trade association Logistics UK, stated that the announcement came as welcome news for businesses nationwide “held back by bottlenecks when navigating the Thames,” he commented positively.
‘The industry stands unified in its support for this crucial trade route,’ stated Mr Wells.
Jim Dickson, the Labour Member of Parliament for Dartford, stated that his constituency has been plagued by ‘constant traffic jams’ due to former administrations ‘avoiding’ the choice regarding the Lower Thames Crossing.
“This choice will unleash economic expansion throughout the nation and at last provide a resolution to the traffic turmoil confronted by my constituents every day,” he stated.
The Thurrock Council in Essex has persistently objected to the initiative, highlighting adverse effects on economics, society, and the environment. However, the head of Dartford Borough Council in Kent supports the plan.
Local activists from the Thames Crossing Action Group assert it would be ‘extremely damaging and detrimental,’ and an unnecessary expenditure of funds.
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