The Government has given planning permission for National Highways’ A122 Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) project – estimated to cost upwards of £9bn.
The scheme would connect the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 in Thurrock and Junction 29 of the M25 in the London Borough of Havering. It would be around 14.3 miles long, with 2.6 miles of this in two tunnels under the Thames – making them the longest road tunnels in the UK.
Announcing the approval, National Highways said that the scheme was the 'most significant road project in a generation'.
While National Highways has outlined updated funding options for the government, including fully regulated private equity funding, ministers are still 'exploring private finance options for the project'.
Construction could start as early as 2026, with the new road expected to open in the early 2030s.
The strategic road network operator said the mega-scheme would 'drive growth – the priority in the government’s Plan for Change – by tackling long standing congestion at Dartford and improving connectivity between the south-east, the midlands and the north'.
For more than 60 years the Dartford Crossing has been the only road crossing across the Thames east of London, and is used 'by far more traffic than it was designed for', National Highways said, making it a 'bottleneck that causes delays and diversions that holds back the country’s economy'.
Matt Palmer, National Highways executive director for the LTC, said: 'Our plans have been shaped by the local community and refined by robust and rigorous examination from independent experts.
'We are more committed than ever to working with our neighbours to build the crossing in a way that offers them opportunities to work and learn new skills while reducing impacts. We are shovel-ready and have our delivery partners on board, and today’s decision allows us to work with government on funding and start the detailed planning that will let us start construction as soon as possible.'
During construction, the project will give a boost to British jobs and skills by working with specialist suppliers from across the UK and will employ almost half of its workforce locally.
Before main construction gets underway, the project and its three delivery partners will work with local authorities, landowners and stakeholders to refine aspects of the design to further reduce the impact of construction on the local community and environment, National Highways said.
Improvements made following feedback include future proofing it with three lanes in each direction along most of the route, reducing the impact on ancient woodland by 70%, and increasing the length of the tunnel to reduce impacts on local communities and the environment.
Around 80% of the route now runs through a tunnel, cutting or embankment to reduce its impact on the surroundings and seven green bridges will blend the road into the landscape and provide safer crossing points for people and wildlife.
Over the coming months the project team will also carry out archaeological, ecological, and topographical surveys, as well as further ground investigations to prepare the detailed design and construction plans.
The LTC project has been broken up into three main works packages:
- Balfour Beatty is delivering the roads north of the Thames package, which was valued at £1.2bn
- Skanska was awarded the Kent roads contract in summer 2023, valued at £450m
- Bouygues-Murphy JV (BMJV) won the tunnel and approaches contract, worth £1.34bn.
