At our latest BusinessLDN Roads Forum, kindly hosted by Field Consulting, we welcomed Matt Palmer, Chief Executive Officer of the Lower Thames Crossing. We were joined by BusinessLDN members to discuss one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects and its potential to support London’s connectivity and economic growth.
The case for additional capacity is clear. The Dartford Crossing carries over 50 million journeys a year, with two-thirds of northbound journeys delayed in peak-period conditions. Frequent tunnel closures add further uncertainty for businesses, commuters and freight operators.
The Lower Thames Crossing will provide a new strategic route between Kent and Essex, with a 20% reduction in traffic at Dartford. This could improve network resilience, strengthen connections between the South East, the Midlands and the North, and make journeys more reliable.
With an investment requirement of around £11bn, the project is part of the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), overseen by the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA). It represents a major commitment to the infrastructure needed to support long-term growth.
The project secured its Development Consent Order in March 2025, without a subsequent judicial review challenge. Work on the Lower Thames Crossing began in 2026, following extensive planning and preparation designed to anticipate and mitigate delivery risks. There are now over 2,000 construction workers on site, the Tunnel Boring Machine ordered, and work on some of its first nature sites now completed.
The funding model is also evolving. Current plans envisage approximately £3.2bn in public funding and around £7bn in private investment. The Highways (Financing) Bill, introduced to Parliament last month, would enable private investment in major road projects through a new Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. Attracting private capital while maintaining effective public oversight will be crucial to delivering the UK’s infrastructure ambitions.
Alongside the challenge of securing investment, the project is also seeking to demonstrate how major infrastructure can be delivered more sustainably. National Highways aims to make the Lower Thames Crossing the UK’s greenest major road project, using it as a carbon pathfinder to demonstrate how infrastructure construction can support net-zero ambitions.
The project has prohibited diesel-powered machinery on its construction sites since 2025 and is deploying electric, hydrogen and other lower-emission equipment. This includes vehicles and machinery using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). More than 30 zero-emission machines are already operating, with the fleet expected to grow to around 150 by peak construction in 2028.
Its environmental ambitions extend beyond carbon. More than 1,000 hectares of new and improved habitat are planned, including woodland, wetlands and improved routes for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The project offers an opportunity to demonstrate that better connectivity and environmental improvements can go hand in hand.
The project’s ambitions also extend beyond the infrastructure itself. The economic benefits must also reach communities along the route. The ambition is for almost half the workforce to be recruited from within 20 miles of the crossing, supported by partnerships with colleges, training providers and employers across Kent, Essex and London.
The first Lower Thames Crossing Skills Hub opened in Gravesham, Kent, in October 2025, offering free training to help local people access construction careers. The project is also targeting significant opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses, with at least a third of the construction budget intended to go to SMEs. This approach can help address skills shortages, strengthen local supply chains and leave a lasting employment legacy beyond the project itself.
Our discussion reinforced that the Lower Thames Crossing is about more than a new road. Better freight connections, a more resilient network and improved access to employment can support productivity across London and the wider UK.
Realising these benefits will depend on maintaining delivery momentum, securing investment and ensuring local businesses and communities share in the opportunities created.
For BusinessLDN, the project demonstrates that London’s prosperity depends on effective connections beyond the capital as well as within it.
Many thanks to Matt Palmer for joining our Roads Forum.