Wednesday 29th January saw the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, set out the government’s commitment to delivering the £8.3bn Lower Thames Crossing. She said: “We will work with a private sector to deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately needs. This includes the Lower Thames Crossing which will improve connectivity at Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich, alleviating severe congestion as goods destined to export come from the North, and the Midlands and across the country to markets overseas. To drive and deliver value for money for taxpayers we are exploring options to privately finance this important project.”
Matt Palmer, Executive Director of the Lower Thames Crossing, said: “The Chancellor’s statement today set out the government’s commitment to delivering the Lower Thames Crossing, one of the UK’s most important and vital growth projects. We are ready to start work, with our planning application due to be decided this May, in the meantime our focus remains on developing the UK’s greenest road to drive out carbon, restore nature and improve the benefits for the local community.”
In December 2023, National Highways awarded Bouygues Travaux Publics – Murphy Joint Venture the Lower Thames Crossing Tunnels and Approaches contract. At 4.2km length each, and with a 16m+ diameter, the twin tubes under the River Thames connecting Kent and Essex will be the UK’s largest bored tunnels.
The award of the Tunnels and Approaches contract completes the assembly of the Lower Thames Crossing delivery team, with BMJV joining Balfour Beatty who will build the roads north of the Thames, and Skanska who will build the roads in Kent.
Originally the LTC Development Consent Order (DCO) was due to be determined on October 4th 2024, but this was deferred with the new DCO due to be decided by 23rd May.
Comments: