Lower Thames Crossing Letter

News Release Kindly Reproduced with permission from Logistics UK

Businesses from across the UK have made a united call for the government to approve the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Lower Thames Crossing which has been at the planning stage for over a decade. 73 organisations nationwide have sent a letter to Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh outlining why the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project must go ahead.

The deadline for the decision on the Lower Thames Crossing DCO application is 4 October 2024. Representatives from organisations, including Asda; Landsec, the majority owner of Bluewater; British Chambers of Commerce and Port of Dover have signed a letter co-ordinated by business group Logistics UK which will be delivered to the Department for Transport, outlining the strategic importance of the new crossing and why the DCO needs to be granted.

The Short Straits crossings between England and France handle over half of all goods traded between Great Britain and mainland Europe and the proposed new road tunnel across the river Thames between Essex and Kent will link the north and Midlands with the south-east ports. It is expected that the nationally significant infrastructure will provide a boost of up to £40 billion to the UK economy and create high-quality jobs and home-grown skills, particularly for those in Kent and Essex.

The ambition of the project is to create a more resilient road network and maintain connectivity across the Thames when incidents disrupt the Dartford Crossing, which is currently the only road crossing east of London. The Dartford Crossing was designed to handle 135,000 vehicles a day but regularly exceeds 180,000 and congestion at the crossing costs the UK economy more than £200 million every year in lost productivity. 40% of journeys across the Dartford Crossing are freight vehicles carrying vital goods throughout the country and the Lower Thames Crossing would remove the financial burden of delays and congestion that is currently shouldered by businesses and consumers across the UK.

ASDA Chris Hall Vice President Asda Logistics Services said:

"Once operational, the Lower Thames Crossing will double road capacity across the Thames east of London and help ease the chronic traffic congestion that occurs on the Dartford Crossing, which will drastically improve journeys for our HGV and delivery drivers in the area. 

"Beyond our local stores, the Lower Thames Crossing will help improve Asda's overall operational efficiency by giving us another route through Kent and Essex, and it will allow us to better utilise our double-decker HGV fleet, helping us reduce our transport emissions."

Bluewater Centre Director James Waugh said:

"As a long-term investor in Kent and Essex, we know the Lower Thames Crossing would bring a significant boost to growth across our region, by making it easier and more energy efficient to travel between both counties. As well as communities and business across the region, Bluewater would see new opportunities created through a new route for customers and the relief of congestion, meaning a better experience for our guests."

Logistics UK Chief Executive David Wells OBE said:

"The Lower Thames Crossing needs to be an integral part of the new government's industrial strategy and the logistics sector is ready to play its part in kickstarting growth and get the country building. The diversity of the organisations that have signed the letter highlight the national importance of the UK having high quality transport infrastructure, to move goods in the most productive, strategic and green way."

Port of Dover Chief Executive Doug Bannister said:

"The Port of Dover is a critical freight and transport corridor, key to the UK supply chain. The Lower Thames Crossing is a vital piece of this jigsaw as half of the freight vehicles travelling through the Port are going beyond London to support economic activity in the Midlands and the North of the UK. Accompanied by essential supporting upgrades, such as the A2 Lydden-Dover dualling, Brenley Corner upgrades and other elements outlined in the Dover Access Improvements scheme, the Lower Thames Crossing will create a more resilient network providing the capacity needed to support the £144 billion in trade that travels through the Port of Dover each year."

The complete list of signatories of the letter from industry sent to The Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP Secretary of State for Transport:

Aggregate Industries

J3 Advisory

Ainscough

JS Davidson

Asda

K.E Kent

Association of International Couriers & Express Services

Kent & Medway Business Advisory Board

Bibby Financial Services

Kent & Medway Economic Partnership

Birkett Long

Kent County Council

Bluewater

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

Boutique Capital

Landsec

Brett Group

Locate in Kent

Britain Remade

Logistics UK

British Chamber of Commerce

MAG London Stansted Airport

British International Freight Association

Manfreight

British Ports Association

Moran Logistics

Buffaload

Morrisons

Civil Engineering Contractors Association

MRCT

Cold Chain Federation

Port of Dover

Construction Plant-hire Association

Railscape

Corstorphone & Wright

Road Haulage Association

Croudace homes

ROM

Culina Group

Rudler Car Transportation & Storage

DHL

Sadel Group

Essex Chambers of Commerce

Samworth Brothers

Essex Developer Group

Sany

Express Reinforcements

Seafast Holdings

Federation of Small Businesses

Solstor

Flannery

Southend Business Partnership

Forth Ports

South Essex Colleges Group

Fresh Linc

Speedy Hire

Gallagher Group

TCP Group

GAP Group

Thames Estuary Growth Board

GXO

The UK Innovation Corridor

Hapag-Lloyd

Thermotraffic

Hargreaves

Trunk Logistics

Heidelberg Materials

VegTrug

Indurent

Woodland Group

Industrial Chemicals Group Limited

Ziegler

Infrastructure Matters

 
"Dear Secretary of State, 

Lower Thames Crossing – call by businesses for DCO approval

We are writing to express our support for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) as this project reaches a 

crucial stage in the planning process. 

Roads are a vital part of the national transport system – some 90% of journeys in England are made 

by road, accounting for over 440 billion vehicle miles per annum. 80% of UK freight transport is via 

road and 70% is on the strategic road network.

The Dartford Crossing is one of the most congested roads in the country. Its unreliability creates 

significant costs for our economy, estimated at £200 million per year due to goods stuck in traffic and 

decreased productivity. This persistent congestion is a financial burden and a deterrent to businesses 

considering investment in the region. For Britain’s exporters, the uncertainty associated with the 

Dartford Crossing is untenable. Every time they need to use the crossing, it is akin to a gamble, and 

our exporters cannot afford to operate under such unpredictable conditions.

The Lower Thames Crossing promises to provide much-needed relief and reliability, offering a 

transformative £40 billion boost to the UK economy. A commitment to the development of this vital 

national infrastructure would not only expedite these economic benefits but also enable the 

government to explore private financing options. This approach could deliver the advantages of the 

new crossing without adversely impacting the government’s balance sheet.

If consented, the LTC will become one of the UK’s largest construction projects. Within months, there 

could be spades in the ground and workers being upskilled, with the new road potentially operational 

by 2030/32. Such progress is critical for the logistics industry, exporters and other businesses, all of 

which need the certainty that this project promises.

The Lower Thames Crossing is not just a local project but a national imperative that will bolster our 

economic resilience and growth. A decision by 4th October is crucial. The logistics industry and the 

wider UK business community cannot afford to endure another 15 years of uncertainty and 

congestion-related challenges.

If consented this year, construction will have started in time for the next general election, and it will be 

fully operational by the following one. Delivering the LTC will be a symbol of the new government’s 

commitment to growth and productivity"