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Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Thursday, 3 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 7 September 2026. It was answered by Justin Madders (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Lower Thames Crossing: Construction

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Lower Thames Crossing project will be required to meet the cost of repairing damage to local roads caused by construction-related heavy goods vehicle movements.

Answer

The Lower Thames Crossing’s Development Consent Order includes a legally binding Outline Traffic Management Plan. This requires delivery partners to conduct joint inspections of access and diversion routes with the relevant local highway authority before works commence, to ensure their condition is suitable for the anticipated use during construction.


Local highway authorities have powers to recover costs for extraordinary damage to highways. The project aims to minimise such cases through measures including the use of offline haul roads and the strategic road network where practicable. Any issues are addressed on a case-by-case basis, considering the initial condition of the road and the level of affect attributable to the project.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
27205
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Costs Construction Roads Repairs and maintenance Lower Thames crossing
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk