Plans for Lower Thames Crossing between Essex and Kent accepted by government
Construction could start by early 2024
Plans for the Lower Thames Crossing - the proposed £9bn connection between Essex and Kent - have been handed to the government.
National Highways have officially submitted plans after an extensive consultation with local people, which gathered 95,000 responses.
The new crossing would connect Tilbury and Gravesend via two tunnels stretching 2.6 miles under the Thames Estuary.
It would supplement the Dartford crossing and would connect the M25 north of the river with the M2 to the south.
If approved, construction could start in 2024 and is expected to take around 18 months.
Matt Palmer, Executive Director for the Lower Thames Crossing said:
“The Planning Inspectorate has accepted that our comprehensive programme of consultation and design development has been undertaken properly, meaning our plans can now be taken forward for robust and thorough examination by independent, government-appointed experts."