What is the proposed Lower Thames Crossing?

National Highways has said the project’s main proposals include: 2 new 2.5 mile (4km) tunnels under the Thames – one southbound and one northbound. about 14.5 miles (23km) of new road, connecting the tunnels to the existing road network.

Why is the Lower Thames Crossing needed?

Benefits of Lower Thames Crossing The crossing will reduce journey times along few sections of the A127 and the M20. It will also minimise congestion at Dartford Crossing and east-west approach roads, including the M25, A13 and A2.

How much will the Lower Thames Crossing cost?

The 22km route between Kent and Essex was initially estimated to cost £5.3bn. However, that cost was revised to the current £6.4bn to £8.2bn valuation after changes were made to the scheme in December 2020.

Who is building the Lower Thames Crossing?

Bam Nuttall, Ferrovial Construction and Vinci Construction Grands Projets, Bouygues Murphy Joint Venture and Dragados-Hochtief Joint Venture are in the running to build the 16m-diameter tunnels, some of the largest in the world.

How long will the Lower Thames Crossing take to build?

six years
Construction is expected to take six years. In April 2021, Highways England announced that they had split the construction of the road into three sections. Two contractors would build the roads north and south of the tunnel, at a cost of £1.3bn and £600m respectively.

How long will it take to build the Lower Thames Crossing?

How long will the Stonehenge tunnel take to build?

When will work start? Fieldwork is due to start in late spring next year, with the main five-year construction phase expected to start by 2023.

Why is the Stonehenge tunnel controversial?

These plans were criticised by the National Trust, Transport 2000 and others who expressed concern that it would cause damage to archaeological remains along the route, destroy ancient sites and not achieve an improvement in the landscape.

Where will the new Thames crossing be?

On the south side of the River Thames, the new road would link to the A2 and M2 in Kent. On the north side, it would link to the A13 in Thurrock and the M25 in Havering. The tunnel crossing would be located to the east of Gravesend on the south side of the river, and to the west of East Tilbury on the north side.

Are they building a road under Stonehenge?

On Friday, July 30, U.K. high court Justice Holgate ruled that Britain’s Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, had acted unlawfully in approving plans to widen eight miles of the A303 into a double lane highway and run a two-mile-long tunnel under the Stonehenge site.