Extra £174m earmarked for ‘spiralling’ bill for Lower Thames Crossing
Summary
The UK government has added £174 million in funding to the Lower Thames Crossing, a major road tunnel project under the Thames River. This extra money is part of a total £3.1 billion public investment, which aims to ease traffic on the M25 motorway, though the project's costs continue to rise.Key Facts
- The Lower Thames Crossing is a planned £11 billion road tunnel connecting Kent and Essex under the Thames River.
- The project is more expensive per mile than the HS2 high-speed rail link between London and Birmingham.
- An additional £174 million has been allocated from existing budgets to fund public works on both sides of the tunnel.
- So far, the government has committed £3.1 billion to the project, including over £1.6 billion allocated recently through budgets and investment plans.
- A private company is expected to take over running the new tunnel and the nearby Dartford tunnel in 2029, supervised by an independent regulator.
- Construction is scheduled to finish by 2034.
- Critics accuse the Department for Transport of raising costs without sharing a full business case and using National Highways’ budget without clear parliamentary approval.
- The government says the project is important infrastructure and that any toll prices will be regulated to stay fair for drivers.
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