PRESS RELEASE

Cancelling white elephant road scheme would release billions

Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced on Friday [1] that he was extending the deadline to make a decision on the Lower Thames Crossing to 4 October. This was to enable a new Government to have the time to fully consider the application.

Transport Action Network (TAN) welcomes this move, although it believes the scheme should be scrapped.

Chris Todd, Director of TAN said:

“With finances as tight as they are, a review of all road schemes is long overdue. This extension will allow a new Government time to consider its options. However, our firm belief is that it should seize the opportunity to scrap the Lower Thames Crossing once and for all.

“This £10 billion white elephant would only give temporary relief to Dartford. It does not make economic sense and would cause huge environmental damage. The money could be better used for public transport and rail freight.”

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Notes to Editors

[1] The Written Statement is here: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-05-24/hcws506

[2] The Funding Statement submitted by National Highways to the LTC examination as part of the DCO application, stated the cost could be up to £9 billion (as of 2020). However the Infrastructure Projects Authority (IPA)’s Analysis of the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline 2023, published in February 2024, reported that “Construction material prices are over 40% higher than in January 2020, before the Covid pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”.