Transport Secretary has today (12 April 2017)
announced the preferred route for a new Lower Thames Crossing
that could create more than 6,000 jobs and boost the economy by
more than £8 billion.
The new crossing will create a new link between the A2 and the
M25 and reduce the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing. The
Lower Thames Crossing is expected to carry 4.5 million heavy
goods vehicles in its first year.
This investment in our roads can help transform the growth
potential of our country and improve people’s journeys to and
around the south-east.
The planned route will run from the M25 near North Ockendon,
cross the A13 at Orsett before crossing under the Thames east of
Tilbury and Gravesend. A new link road will then take traffic to
the A2 near Shorne, close to where the route becomes the M2.
This route was identified by the majority of nearly 47,000
respondents to a consultation on a new
Lower Thames Crossing as the best solution for reducing
traffic and congestion at the Dartford Crossing and for boosting
the economy by improving links to London and the Channel ports.
A further £10 million will be used to improve traffic flow at and
around the existing crossing as well as studying ways to further
tackle congestion. This will include a wide-ranging investigation
into options to cut ‘rat-running’ through Dartford and Thurrock.
Transport Secretary said:
We are making the big decisions for Britain. 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.
Our £23 billion investment into our roads is already making a
difference, with schemes being completed across the country,
including the M1 Catthorpe junction and A556 at Knutsford,
cutting journey times for millions of motorists.
The schemes announced today not only show we are taking
decisions, we are planning upgrades and we are completing roads
– making the lives of millions of motorists better.
In addition to the Lower Thames Crossing, the government is
investing a further £66 million to widen the A13 Stanford-le-Hope
bypass from 2 to 3 lanes. This will help create more than 4,000
jobs and unlock the development of hundreds of new houses, and
improve links to Tilbury and new London Gateway ports. This
investment is part of a £78.85 million Thurrock Council project
scheduled to be complete by the end of 2019.
Christian Brodie, Chairman of South East Local Enterprise
Partnership, said:
This is excellent news for Kent and Essex and will have a
significant economic impact. The investments announced will
strengthen the resilience of our UK and European connections –
imperative as we now move towards Brexit.
However, the benefits go far beyond Kent and Essex. With the
current Dartford Crossing already operating at capacity and
freight traffic continuing to grow, the new crossing will also
support the government’s wider economic aspirations for the
Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine.
Tim Waggott, Port of Dover Chief Executive, said:
The Port of Dover handles up to £119 billion of trade or 17% of
the UK’s trade in goods and is vital to the UK’s trading
relationship with Europe - our largest and nearest trading
partner. Half of its freight traffic is heading beyond London
to support economic activity in the Midlands Engine and
Northern Powerhouse government priority areas. With freight
traffic through Dover growing by a third in only 4 years and
with a forecast 40% growth in freight traffic by the end of the
next decade, it is essential that traffic fluidity is
maintained and enhanced on this key trade corridor connecting
the rest of the UK with mainland Europe.
The Lower Thames Crossing is an essential ingredient of the
strategic infrastructure mix required to deliver national
economic prosperity. The port fully supports today’s
announcement by the government and warmly welcomes its
commitment to keep the nation’s traffic and trade moving.
This announcement comes weeks after a number of road improvements
were opened to traffic and Highways England started consulting on
further upgrades.
In the north-west, the A556 near Manchester has been completed
weeks ahead of schedule – creating quicker, safer and more
reliable journeys for the 50,000 motorists who use the road
between the M6 and the M56 each day.
In the north-east, Highways England has completed improvements to
the A160/A180 enabling better access to Immingham Port, while
also improving safety.
Highways England has started consulting on dualling the
A358 between the A303 and the M5 at Taunton. This will help
relieve congestion, help unlock economic growth in the south-west
and enhance safety.
