Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has today (12 April 2017) announced the preferred route for a new Lower Thames Crossing that could create more than 6,000 jobs and boost the economy by more than £8 billion.

The new crossing will create a new link between the A2 and the M25 and reduce the burden on the busy Dartford Crossing. The Lower Thames Crossing is expected to carry 4.5 million heavy goods vehicles in its first year.

This investment in our roads can help transform the growth potential of our country and improve people’s journeys to and around the south-east.

The planned route will run from the M25 near North Ockendon, cross the A13 at Orsett before crossing under the Thames east of Tilbury and Gravesend. A new link road will then take traffic to the A2 near Shorne, close to where the route becomes the M2.

This route was identified by the majority of nearly 47,000 respondents to a consultation on a new Lower Thames Crossing as the best solution for reducing traffic and congestion at the Dartford Crossing and for boosting the economy by improving links to London and the Channel ports.

A further £10 million will be used to improve traffic flow at and around the existing crossing as well as studying ways to further tackle congestion. This will include a wide-ranging investigation into options to cut ‘rat-running’ through Dartford and Thurrock.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

We are making the big decisions for Britain. The new Lower Thames Crossing, and other improvements in and around Dartford and Thurrock announced today, will further strengthen our economy while also creating thousands of jobs.

Our £23 billion investment into our roads is already making a difference, with schemes being completed across the country, including the M1 Catthorpe junction and A556 at Knutsford, cutting journey times for millions of motorists.

The schemes announced today not only show we are taking decisions, we are planning upgrades and we are completing roads – making the lives of millions of motorists better.

In addition to the Lower Thames Crossing, the government is investing a further £66 million to widen the A13 Stanford-le-Hope bypass from 2 to 3 lanes. This will help create more than 4,000 jobs and unlock the development of hundreds of new houses, and improve links to Tilbury and new London Gateway ports. This investment is part of a £78.85 million Thurrock Council project scheduled to be complete by the end of 2019.

Christian Brodie, Chairman of South East Local Enterprise Partnership, said:

This is excellent news for Kent and Essex and will have a significant economic impact. The investments announced will strengthen the resilience of our UK and European connections – imperative as we now move towards Brexit.

However, the benefits go far beyond Kent and Essex. With the current Dartford Crossing already operating at capacity and freight traffic continuing to grow, the new crossing will also support the government’s wider economic aspirations for the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine.

Tim Waggott, Port of Dover Chief Executive, said:

The Port of Dover handles up to £119 billion of trade or 17% of the UK’s trade in goods and is vital to the UK’s trading relationship with Europe – our largest and nearest trading partner. Half of its freight traffic is heading beyond London to support economic activity in the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse government priority areas. With freight traffic through Dover growing by a third in only 4 years and with a forecast 40% growth in freight traffic by the end of the next decade, it is essential that traffic fluidity is maintained and enhanced on this key trade corridor connecting the rest of the UK with mainland Europe.

The Lower Thames Crossing is an essential ingredient of the strategic infrastructure mix required to deliver national economic prosperity. The port fully supports today’s announcement by the government and warmly welcomes its commitment to keep the nation’s traffic and trade moving.

This announcement comes weeks after a number of road improvements were opened to traffic and Highways England started consulting on further upgrades.

In the north-west, the A556 near Manchester has been completed weeks ahead of schedule – creating quicker, safer and more reliable journeys for the 50,000 motorists who use the road between the M6 and the M56 each day.

In the north-east, Highways England has completed improvements to the A160/A180 enabling better access to Immingham Port, while also improving safety.

Highways England has started consulting on dualling the A358 between the A303 and the M5 at Taunton. This will help relieve congestion, help unlock economic growth in the south-west and enhance safety.

The ever popular Halloween Race is still planned to take place in October. Keep watching the Port of Dover website for more information. 

The ferry and logistics company’s six ships on the Dover-Calais route transported 361,100 lorries during January, February and March. This figure was almost 11 per cent higher than the corresponding period in 2016 and nine per cent higher than the previous best ever Q1 in 2012.

In a sign of the rising importance of the cross-Channel transport of goods to the economies of both Britain and Europe, P&O Ferries set individual monthly freight records in January, February and March respectively. 

Janette Bell, Managing Director of P&O Ferries, said: “We are committed to delivering a reliable, punctual service with the lowest possible waiting times to anyone transporting goods between Dover and Calais.” 

“Our performance during Q1 shows just how many businesses across Europe rely – either directly or indirectly – on the services we provide. Our ferries are a vital conduit for the transport of fresh fruit and vegetables, building materials, components for production lines and much else besides.” 

“We expect demand for cross-Channel transport to increase, driven by a rising population and the continuing strength of the British economy. It is essential for our customers from all parts of Europe that maintaining secure, safe and efficient passage through the ports of Dover and Calais is a priority for both sides negotiating Britain’s departure from the European Union.” 

During the quarter, two of P&O Ferries’ English Channel ships – the Pride of Canterbury and the Pride of Burgundy – spent several weeks each in Poland’s Remontowa shipyard for major life extension work. Both vessels, which weigh up to 30,000 tons, have now been relaunched and are back in service. 

P&O Ferries is a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, sailing on eight major routes between Britain, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Belgium. It operates 20 vessels which carry more than 10 million passengers, 1.6 million cars and 2.2 million freight units every year. 

Together with its logistics division, P&O Ferrymasters, the company also operates integrated road and rail links to countries across the continent including Italy, Poland and Romania. A P&O Ferrymasters-owned rail terminal in the northern Romanian city of Oradea, which will facilitate the onward movement of goods to Britain from the Silk Road, became operational last year.

Port of Dover and the approach roads (A20/M20[BB1] ) are busy due to high volumes of traffic ahead of the festive period. Ferry services to and from the Port of Dover are operating normally. 

Customers travelling to the Port are advised to allow extra time for their journey and border checks. Tourist and local traffic should use A2/M2 and other alternative routes when traveling to and from Dover. 

Customers are also advised to contact their chosen ferry operator for ferry related information and consult the Port of Dover website (www.doverport.co.uk) or Twitter account (@PoD_travelnews) for the latest information.

DFDS Seaways

Freight: +44 (0) 1304 874 001 Tourist: +44 (0) 871 230 0440

Twitter: @dfdsseaways

P&O Ferries

Freight: +44 (0) 1304 863 340 Tourist: +44 (0) 8716 64 64 64

Twitter: @POferriesupdate

We apologise for any inconvenience and wish everyone a safe journey.