Delayed decision on Lower Thames Crossing "desperately disappointing"
The Essex Chamber of Commerce say traffic at Dartford is just going to get "worse and worse"
Last updated 10th Oct 2024
The Essex Chamber of Commerce has said the delayed decision on whether the Lower Thames Crossing - connecting Kent and Essex - will go ahead is "deeply disappointing".
The Lower Thames Crossing project has been worked on for 15 years and £850m has been spent on planning so far.
It would link Gravesend in Kent to Thurrock in Essex.
Iain McNab, head of policy at the Chambers, tells us 'the worry now has been maybe they really don't want to approve the thing."
"But I think a more optimistic way of looking at it and hopefully it's correct, they genuinely do need a bit more time to work out how to finance it."
He continues, "we know that the Chancellor is re examining her fiscal rules to allow more borrowing, so it may well be the case that this is no coincidence and that a decision on the tunnel won't be made until those rules have loosened and more public funding is available."
Mr McNab tells us his members are putting off decisions on road investments as they wait confirmation.
"At the moment, people are saying we're not going to invest in this particular road or not invest in this or that in certain parts of Essex because they want to know that the tunnel is going to happen."
"People are disappointed because it's taken about 15 years to get to this point.
"A lot of people are saying that this tunnel has got to happen. The new crossing is desperately needed.
"Hopefully it's just sort of the technical hitch at the moment, rather than a national nail in the coffin of the tunnel because it's got to be addressed, things will just get worse and worse and worse at Dartford.
"We want that crossing there because it will help improve the infrastructure and have knock on effects right across Essex and and beyond."
There's been national opposition to the £8.3billion investment for the project going into the South East.
Chris Todd, the director of Transport Action Network, said: "We hope Louise Haigh will use this breathing space to fully engage with the concerns about this outdated project."
"It fails on all its objectives and would only provide 5 years relief at Dartford, less time than it would take to build.
"Proceeding with it would be madness," says Mr Todd
Mr McNab has rejected that idea saying this is something that requires "more national support" as it has "benefits all around the country."
"We're aware that there are people who say, well, we don't want all this money going into the Southeast.
"But our argument is that the Midlands and the North will benefit from this. Dover links to continental Europe and imports and exports very much go through the Southeast.
"Most of that traffic over the existing crossing is going not locally, but to the middle and North of the UK, so they will benefit from this tunnel being built."
There has been opposition from some councils, campaigners and politicians over the construction of a new 14-mile (22.5km) road through green belt land.
It is understood the government will provide an updated decision in May 2025.