Campaigners in Kent have given a mixed reaction to Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ signal of support for the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing.
Ms Reeves said on Wednesday that Labour is “exploring options” to work with the private sector to “deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately needs” – including the Lower Thames Crossing. Ms Reeves’ announcement comes just three months after the government said it was delaying the decision on whether to proceed with the project until May 2025.
The project, which would link Gravesend in Kent and Tilbury in Essex via a tunnel beneath the river, has been proposed to relieve congestion at the Dartford Crossing. Alongside alleviating congestion, the chancellor said the Lower Thames Crossing will “improve connectivity at Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich”, which would be some of the major ports in the South-East.
The extended deadline of 23rd May remains for a decision to be made on the DCO application. A group of 80 businesses have previously called on the government to approve the project.
Campaigners have said the crossing would destroy greenbelt land and precious habitats.
Kent Wildlife Trust’s planning and policy officer, Emma Waller said “The Lower Thames Crossing is not a sustainable solution; it is merely a short-term fix that exacerbates a deeper, systemic problem.”
The Thames Crossing Action Group said Ms Reeves’ announcement does not constitute a green light for the project. “She said they were ‘exploring’ private finance. Funding has not been secured for Lower Thames Crossing, and the DCO [Development Consent Order] has not been approved”.
Dartford MP Jim Dickson said: “Labour is delivering for the people of Dartford. There is an end in sight to gridlock.”
