Government considering private investment for Lower Thames Crossing

The Lower Thames Crossing is expected to be one of the most ambitious, and expensive, projects British infrastructure has ever seen.

Transcript

00:00We will work with the private sector to deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately needs.

00:07This includes the Lower Thames Crossing, which will improve connectivity at Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich.

00:15This is the moment years of indecision over the building of a new tunnel between Kent and Essex were seemingly brought to an end.

00:21Alongside a number of other infrastructure announcements, including backing a new runway at Heathrow Airport,

00:27the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, says the government is backing the proposed Lower Thames Crossing

00:31and is looking for private investors to foot the bill.

00:34It's great news for Dartford and now that we've got Treasury approval and hopefully private sector funding

00:40following shortly afterwards that we can see work start later in 2025

00:46with a view to the Lower Thames Crossing being available to be opened early in the next decade.

00:53It's a clear victory for those who hope a new crossing on the Thames would lessen congestion elsewhere in Kent.

00:58It will also add much needed resilience into the transport network as well.

01:02We know that when things go wrong at Dartford, as they regularly do, there's very few alternatives, particularly for freight traffic.

01:09What it means is that lorries have to divert around the M25 via Heathrow, adding up to two hours to journey times.

01:16Sitting at around £9 billion, the Lower Thames Crossing could be one of the most expensive infrastructure projects on Britain's roads ever.

01:24But this isn't the first time private funding has been put forward as a solution.

01:28We already know that the private investors that are sniffing around on this already are looking at the model that's taking place

01:36through tolls and revenue from the Dartford Crossing.

01:39So we're actually confident that investors will be there.

01:42And as long as the government gets a green light and push through the planning,

01:45this is really, really good news for Kent.

01:47However, environment campaigners have long argued building of a new tunnel would be a danger to wildlife.

01:52The Kent Wildlife Trust argues the crossing would not only destroy habitats, but add to Britain's carbon footprint when it's built.

01:59Instead of safeguarding biodiversity, the Lower Thames project will destroy irreplaceable habitats,

02:05increase carbon emissions and continue to long-term environmental degradation.

02:10And this is not the future that we should be building.

02:142025 is the 16th year which has seen discussion over how a new crossing could be built on the Thames.

02:20But with the Chancellor's backing today, perhaps it's also the year where the wheels are finally put in motion.

02:26Bartholomew Hall for KMTV.