Rachel Reeves has confirmed plans for the £9billion Lower Thames Crossing will go ahead after years of delays and changing Governments.
Unveiling Labour’s new economic growth policies, the Chancellor confirmed to an Oxfordshire crowd that plans will finally come into action with the project expected to restart in 2026.
The crossing has been in the works since 2009 with initial groundwork completed. However, due to several funding disagreements, it has still not opened.
Today, Reeves said the tunnel, which is an “important project”, will be primarily funded through private finances and investments.
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Reeves confirmed the Lower Thames Crossing will go ahead to help alleviate congestion in the South East
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She said: “The Lower Thames Crossing will improve connectivity at Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich alleviating severe congestion for goods destined to export coming from the north and the midlands and across the country to markets overseas.
“To drive growth and to deliver value for money and taxpayers, we are exploring options to privately finance this important project.”
The crossing would connect drivers between Kent and Essex through a tunnel beneath the River Thames and help reduce the huge backlog of vehicles travelling to the South East.
It would have almost double the road capacity over the river to the east of London and would be used to reduce congestion building up along the Blackwall Tunnel and the Dartford Crossing.
The new crossing has been met with mixed views. Kent County Council has expressed overall support for the scheme, but raised concerns regarding the lack of environmental information and the impact on Shorne Woods Country Park.
The authority was also concerned about the impact on the local and strategic highway network and the impact on existing road assets and the construction workforce.
The council warned that as work on the crossing gets underway, it will cause traffic and congestion to build up on certain routes. This includes the A229 Blue Bell Hill which has prompted the council to plan on redeveloping the area.
The Road Haulage Association (RHA) took a different approach. Managing director Richard Smith welcomed the announcement, saying it has been long overdue.
He said: “It’s a critical infrastructure project that has been a long-standing priority for the RHA. This is a major victory for our sector and this nationally significant scheme has the potential to turbocharge the economy.
“The project will provide much-needed reliability for businesses. The delays at Dartford decrease productivity and increase costs for businesses, particularly those reliant on freight. The LTC will allow goods to flow more freely, improving journey times.”
Smith added that the new crossing will help boost the region with it being “more than a local project and more like a nationally significant scheme”.
“The Lower Thames Crossing offers value for money and will bring wider economic benefits nationally. It’s a big step forward in helping to drive forward the long-term economic growth the Government has pledged,” he said.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The Lower Thames Crossing would connect to the A2 and M2 in KentNATIONAL HIGHWAYSLast year, former Transport Secretary Louise Haigh decided to delay the decision on the crossing until May 2025, but having heard pleas from the industry, Reeves has stepped in.
The RHA had previously warned that congestion at Dartford continues to be a huge financial burden with delays estimated to cost around £350,000 per day or £130million per year.