Wednesday, October 9, 2024
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Lower Thames Crossing decision delayed

A decision to build a new road crossing under the River Thames has been delayed by the government until 23 May 2025 at the earliest.

In a statement by transport secretary Louise Haigh, she confirmed that it was “necessary” to extend the deadline for a decision on the application by National Highways under the 2008 Plannin Act, for the A122 (Lower Thames Crossing) Development Consent Order.

Through the Planning Act, a decision must be made within three of months of the Examining Authority’s report. That report on the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order was received on 20 March 2024, resulting in the fresh decision by Haigh today.

Haigh has now provided a written ministerial statement to Parliament announcing the new deadline, following the 4 October deadline, which itself was created by a ministerial statement by the former transport secretary Mark Harper on 24 May this year. As a result, the scheme has already been delayed three times.

Haigh said in her statement: “The deadline for the decision is to be further extended to 23 May 2025 in order to allow more time for the application to be considered further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review.

“The decision to set a new deadline is without prejudice to the decision on whether to grant the application development consent.”

The Lower Thames Crossing, which would link Gravesend in Kent and Tilbury in Essex, aims to ease current congestion on the Dartford Crossing, as well as the Blackwall Tunnel.

The scheme would use the existing road network of the A2/M2 and the M25, connecting it through two tunnels beneath the river.

A contract for boring the tunnels on the £1.3bn project was announced by National Highways, which is running the scheme, to a joint venture between Bouygues Travaux Publics and Murphy last December.

Image from Shutterstock

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