Wedoany.com Report-Nov. 28, The UK government has approved an additional £891 million ($1.17 billion) in public funding for the Lower Thames Crossing, as announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves during the Autumn Budget.

The project will connect Tilbury in Essex with Gravesend in Kent through two parallel tunnels beneath the River Thames. 

The allocation enables construction to commence in 2026, with the project scheduled to open in the early 2030s. National Highways confirmed that the funding secures the timeline and allows formal market engagement with private investors to begin next year.

The Lower Thames Crossing will create a 23 km dual-carriageway link between the A2 and M2 in Kent and the A13 and M25 in Thurrock, Essex. It will feature twin bored tunnels totalling 4.2 km beneath the River Thames, forming the longest road tunnel in the UK.

Designed to reduce congestion at the existing Dartford Crossing, the new route will enhance connectivity between major ports in South East England and key regions including the Midlands and Northern England, while adding significant capacity to the strategic road network.

First proposed in 2009, the project has undergone extensive planning, with approximately £1.2 billion spent on development to date. Construction approval was granted in March this year.

Lower Thames Crossing executive director Matt Palmer said: "The funding from government gives us the green light to start building the Lower Thames Crossing next year and puts it on track to open in the early 2030s.

"The project will be built by local people and businesses, and leave a legacy of jobs and skills across the region. It's the first of a new generation of projects that will tackle congestion and drive economic growth, whilst redrawing the blueprint for low-carbon construction."

The investment supports broader objectives to improve transport infrastructure, boost regional economic activity, and deliver sustainable construction practices across one of the UK's most critical road corridors.