{"id":25482,"date":"2018-10-12T13:30:05","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T13:30:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oradeo.com\/?p=25482"},"modified":"2018-10-12T13:30:46","modified_gmt":"2018-10-12T13:30:46","slug":"lower-thames-tunnels-widened-to-dual-three-lanes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oradeo.com\/2018\/10\/12\/lower-thames-tunnels-widened-to-dual-three-lanes\/","title":{"rendered":"Lower Thames tunnels widened to dual three lanes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Highways England has published updated plans for the proposed \u00a36bn Lower Thames Crossing as it launches a new 10-week public consultation process.<\/h2>\n

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The key change to the scheme since the April 2017 route announcement is that the twin tunnels under the Thames will now each carry three lanes of traffic instead of two.<\/p>\n

They will now not just be the longest road tunnels in the UK, at 2.4 miles long, but at more than 50 feet wide they will be the third-largest bored tunnels in the world.<\/p>\n

The whole project will create a new, three-lane dual carriageway, 14.5 miles long, connecting the M2 near Rochester and the M25 in Essex between North and South Ockenden.<\/p>\n

Highways England is looking to start construction in mid-2021, with completion in 2027.<\/p>\n

The updated plans would nearly double road capacity across the river Thames and almost halve northbound journey times at Dartford Crossing.<\/p>\n

47,000 people had their say in a previous consultation on the proposals \u2013 a record for a UK road scheme. A new, 10-week consultation on the latest designs for the improvements will start on Wednesday 10th October and run until Thursday 20th December 2018.<\/p>\n

Other changes to ealrier plans include the addition of a new rest and service area to the west of East Tilbury, a new design for the Tilbury junction, removing the proposed Tilbury link road to reduce traffic on the local road network, and an improved junction with the A2.<\/p>\n

Several measures have also been included to reduce the impact that the new road will have on local communities, including:<\/p>\n