National Highways has tweaked the plans for the Lower Thames Crossing to allow for any future expansion of the nearby Tilbury Docks.

The magazine New Civil Engineer reports that the changes have been made after a request from Thurrock Council.

NCE says the project had previously earmarked an area of river frontage that lies between the port and the Lower Thames Crossing tunnel entrance for a new public park and environmental mitigation, but that it has come to light that the land will be crucial in the expansion of the port, which is part of its Freeport proposal.

The report explains that National Highways has agreed to change its proposal to ensure the project will not impact the Freeport’s potential and that it’ll work alongside the Port of Tilbury and Thurrock Council on a new scheme to deliver the planned park and environmental mitigation in a way that will ensure the river frontage can still be maximised for the Thames Estuary.

(Picture – National Highways)