A massive tunnel aims to break the Thames estuary's traffic deadlock
In short: For centuries, crossing the Thames east of London has been a bottleneck. With the existing Dartford Crossing handling 160,000 vehicles daily, congestion and pollution are rising. Now, a massive new project promises to link Kent and Essex via the UK's longest road tunnel.
The Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is designed to supplement the existing A282 Dartford Crossing, which remains the only fixed road crossing of the Thames east of Greater London. The project aims to connect the M25 and A13 north of the river to the M2 south of the river, effectively linking the districts of Thurrock and Gravesham. Once completed, the centerpiece will be a 2.6-mile (4.2 km) twin-tunnel, making it the longest road tunnel in the United Kingdom.
The history of attempting to link these counties is long. As far back as the 18th century, Ralph Dodd promoted a tunnel scheme that received parliamentary approval via the Gravesend and Tilbury Tunnel Act 1799. Work began in 1800 using a vertical shaft and early steam engines, but the project was abandoned in 1802 due to flooding and lack of funds.
Modern planning has been complex. After a 2020 application was withdrawn due to requests for more environmental detail, a new application was submitted in November 2022. While the planning process was expected to take 18 months, it was extended by the July 2024 general election. The project received approval in March 2025, with construction starting in March 2026. Project expenses have climbed substantially, with latest projections indicating a £10.6 billion total, comprising £3.1 billion in taxpayer funds and £7.5 billion from private investors.
Despite the scale of the project, LTC officials have noted that the crossing will not resolve all traffic problems both north and south of the river.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Lower Thames Crossing
- Also: Wikidata — Lower Thames Crossing · CC0
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