National Highways offers help for local firms to win Lower Thames Crossing work
National Highways has announced its “giving a helping hand” to businesses across Kent and Essex to win work on the Lower Thames Crossing, as six Supply Chain Roadshows get underway. Work starts on the crossing this year, and with at least £1 in every £3 from the construction budget due to be spent with small […]
Lower Thames Crossing appoints Kate Cohen to steer it to 2034 completion
Kate Cohen, Director of Strategic Roads and Local Projects at the Department for Transport, has been appointed as Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) of the Lower Thames Crossing project. Confirmation of her appointment came in a letter from Jo Shanmugalingam, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport and Becky Wood, Chief Executive Officer of the National Infrastructure, Service […]
First Lower Thames Crossing Skills Hub opens door to new jobs in Kent
National Highways has opened the first of its new Skills Hubs in Gravesend, to provide free work-based training for local people who want to join or learn new skills in the construction industry. The Lower Thames Crossing is one of Britain’s most important economic infrastructure projects, that will tackle congestion on the Dartford Crossing and […]
Management of Lower Thames Crossing will stay with National Highways, says Nick Harris
The management and oversight of the Lower Thames Crossing will stay with National Highways, according to its Chief Executive, Nick Harris. Speaking at Highways UK 2025 today, Mr Harris said that reports earlier in the week suggesting that the oversight and management of the Lower Thames Crossing will move to the DfT, were not correct.. […]
National Highways loses Lower Thames Crossing oversight with major project handed to DfT
Government Ministers have removed National Highways of its responsibility for the £10bn Lower Thames Crossing project. The move is seen as part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s drive to take tight control over important infrastructure projects for fear of cost overruns and delays, according to The Guardian. Oversight of the Lower Thames Crossing – the UK’s largest […]
World’s first hydrogen-powered digger gets to work as Lower Thames Crossing targets carbon neutrality
National Highways announced today (2 October 2025) that the Lower Thames Crossing will be the first major infrastructure programme in Britain to be carbon neutral in construction. The news comes as a British-made JCB hydrogen fuelled digger – the first one deployed outside a test environment anywhere in the world – was used to carry […]
Lord Blunkett to chair new Lower Thames Crossing Skills Taskforce
A Lower Thames Crossing Skills Taskforce has been launched to help develop the green skills needed to meet the project’s ambitious low-carbon targets and support the construction industry’s drive toward net-zero, with a focus on new jobs, skills and business opportunities for the local community. As well as helping the project to tackle local and […]
“A turning point”: Lower Thames Crossing project awarded £590m
The project to build the UK’s largest road tunnel has been granted £590m by the government. Constructing the Lower Thames Crossing, linking Tilbury in Essex and Gravesend in Kent, will cost an estimated £10bn. Plans for the 14.5-mile (23km) route were approved in March after a 16-year process that has already cost £1.2bn. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said […]
Hydrogen powered construction a step closer after successful Lower Thames Crossing trial
The Lower Thames Crossing project’s plan to replace diesel with hydrogen in its heavy construction machinery, and help accelerate Britian’s transition to clean power, has moved a step closer following the successful conclusion of its first hydrogen trial in partnership with Gallagher Group, JCB and hydrogen supplier Ryze Power. The trial was hosted at the family-run […]
National Highways to share information about Lower Thames Crossing work
National Highways are planning a series of public meetings across Thurrock to talk about the work they will be undertaking in advance of construction of the proposed Lower Thames Crossing. The project involvesd a major new road being created through the heart of Thurrock linking Kent and Essex via a new tunell to be built […]