Lower Thames Crossing given green light - major victory for RHA campaigning

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has welcomed the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) announcement as a major victory for the road transport sector and for the wider economy.

The RHA has been calling for improvements to the strategic road network to tackle congestion and improve efficiency across the country. Just last week, the association launched a new ‘future of roads’ paper highlighting a series of projects (including LTC) and called for needed investment in the road network to ensure supply chains run smoothly and efficiently. Today's announcement is a major step forward in that process. 

RHA MD Richard Smith said: "I’m delighted to welcome today’s announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves regarding the Lower Thames Crossing – a critical infrastructure project that has been a long-standing priority for the RHA. This is a major victory for our sector and this nationally significant scheme has the potential to turbocharge the economy.

"The project will provide much-needed reliability for businesses. The delays at Dartford decrease productivity and increase costs for businesses, particularly those reliant on freight. The LTC will allow goods to flow more freely, improving journey times. This will boost the region, but it’s more than a local project: This is a nationally significant scheme. 

"After many years of delays in giving LTC the green light, today’s announcement will be a welcome relief to operators of lorries, coaches, and vans who must navigate the daily knock-on economic impact of persistent delays.

"The Lower Thames Crossing offers value for money and will bring wider economic benefits nationally. It’s a big step forward in helping to drive forward the long-term economic growth the Government has pledged." ends

Notes:

The Lower Thames Crossing will help to solve the issues at one of the most significant bottlenecks in the country at the Dartford Crossing. Congestion at Dartford is a financial burden, and delays there cost an estimated £350,000 per day or £130 million per year to the economy.