PRESS RELEASE

Reaction to £1bn transport funding announced today including Lower Thames Crossing

TAN’s [1] reaction to today’s announcement by HM Treasury of £1billion for repairing existing structures and funding the Lower Thames Crossing [2].

Chris Todd, Director of TAN said:

“The Lower Thames Crossing is such an embarrassment that its latest funding announcement had to be combined with announcements about repairing bridges, tunnels and flyovers.

“Does the Government think the British public are stupid? Drip-feeding funding for the Lower Thames Crossing won’t make it any cheaper or hide the countless millions being wasted not building it. The Treasury is throwing good money after bad; money that could make a real difference to people’s lives is being squandered on this white elephant.

“This new ‘smart’ motorway is likely to cost the public purse over £6bn when all the associated road schemes are included. That’s in addition to the much higher toll charges on working people to pay back the private finance that will also be needed [3]. It’s madness when we’ve shown there are better, cheaper and more inclusive solutions available for people and freight [4].

“With 3,000 substandard bridges nationally, £410m doesn’t even scratch the surface of the maintenance backlog [5]. It’s less than £137,000 per bridge which will only be enough for the most minor of repairs. When we can’t afford to maintain the roads we’ve got, the last thing we should do is raid public funds to build a new Lower Thames ‘smart’ motorway Crossing.”

– ENDS –

Notes for editors

[1] TAN was set up six years’ ago by director, Chris Todd, to help communities press for better (more sustainable) transport. We support more investment in bus and rail services and active travel. To enable this and better roads maintenance (fewer potholes) we continue to oppose the previous government’s damaging roads programme. We also support better integration between transport and planning.

[2] Treasury press statement, 16 June, 2025.

[3] See Guardian article on tolls and for more information about the Lower Thames Crossing and its funding see our website.

[4] Essex-Kent Superlinks report, February 2025

[5] Examples of bridge repairs needed:

• A167 Gateshead flyover is currently closed to all traffic which will cost £18m just for demolition
• Hammersmith Bridge is closed to motor traffic and is reckoned to need £250m to fully repair it
• M48 Severn Bridge currently has a 7.5t weight limit and the total cost of the repairs needed is estimated by National Highways to be £300m – £600m
• Woodford bridge in Redford has been closed since July 2023. It is estimated that it will cost £50m to repair