Highways England

After the controversies of London's Garden Bridge, the government has announced the capital will be getting a new tunnel.

Following months of decision making, the Department for Transport has agreed the Lower Thames Crossing will connect Gravesend, in Kent, with Tilbury, in Essex. In particular, the Lower Thames Crossing's route, which includes additional road infrastructure above ground, will run from the M25 motorway near North Ockendon, cross the A13 at Orsett, and venture under the Thames near Tilbury and Gravesend.


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The preferred option, which still has to be approved by planning officials, was picked ahead of creating a tunnel or bridge next to the existing Dartford Crossing.

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"The new Lower Thames Crossing, and other improvements in and around Dartford and Thurrock announced today, will further strengthen our economy while also creating thousands of jobs," transport secretary Chris Grayling said in a statement announcing the decision.

The tunnel is said to be the first new underground crossing of the Thames since the Queen Elizabeth II bridge, known as the Dartford Crossing, opened in 1991.


The plans for the new tunnel were first proposed and consulted on by Highways England in 2016. In total, the route consultation received 47,034 responses.

At the end of the consultation, Highways England said it preferred the option that has now been adopted by the government.

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"In addition to easing congestion and providing an alternative to the existing crossing, a new road and crossing at Location C would also offer wider economic benefits," Highways England said. It estimates the tunnel and additional roads that would be built would cost between £4.3 billion and £5.9bn.

The government added that the Lower Thames Crossing is expected to carry 4.5 million heavy goods vehicles in the first year it opens and could create 6,000 jobs.

"We anticipate the new crossing would be open in 2025, if publicly funded. If private funding is also used to meet the costs of the project, we anticipate the crossing being open by 2027," Highways England continued.