The Lower Thames Crossing will be operated as an integrated part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Incident response plans will be developed with local authorities and emergency services during construction and published before opening. These will cover tunnel systems, roadside technology and traffic management across the wider network, consistent with National Highways’ coordinated SRN approach, including the 2021 CLEAR Keep Traffic Moving incident management plan agreed with emergency services. They will work with key responders to minimise incident impacts through an integrated and coordinated approach across the SRN, which will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing.

Drivers would be informed of closures through signs and signals across the wider network and through channels such as sat nav, in-car systems, social media, press and radio, supporting informed journey decisions.

The Lower Thames Crossing will be operated as an integrated part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Incident response plans will be developed with local authorities and emergency services during construction and published before opening. These will cover tunnel systems, roadside technology and traffic management across the wider network, consistent with National Highways’ coordinated SRN approach, including the 2021 CLEAR Keep Traffic Moving incident management plan agreed with emergency services. They will work with key responders to minimise incident impacts through an integrated and coordinated approach across the SRN, which will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing.

Drivers would be informed of closures through signs and signals across the wider network and through channels such as sat nav, in-car systems, social media, press and radio, supporting informed journey decisions.

The Lower Thames Crossing will be operated as an integrated part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Incident response plans will be developed with local authorities and emergency services during construction and published before opening. These will cover tunnel systems, roadside technology and traffic management across the wider network, consistent with National Highways’ coordinated SRN approach, including the 2021 CLEAR Keep Traffic Moving incident management plan agreed with emergency services. They will work with key responders to minimise incident impacts through an integrated and coordinated approach across the SRN, which will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing.

Drivers would be informed of closures through signs and signals across the wider network and through channels such as sat nav, in-car systems, social media, press and radio, supporting informed journey decisions.

The Lower Thames Crossing will be operated as an integrated part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Incident response plans will be developed with local authorities and emergency services during construction and published before opening. These will cover tunnel systems, roadside technology and traffic management across the wider network, consistent with National Highways’ coordinated SRN approach, including the 2021 CLEAR Keep Traffic Moving incident management plan agreed with emergency services. They will work with key responders to minimise incident impacts through an integrated and coordinated approach across the SRN, which will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing.

Drivers would be informed of closures through signs and signals across the wider network and through channels such as sat nav, in-car systems, social media, press and radio, supporting informed journey decisions.

The Lower Thames Crossing will be operated as an integrated part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN). Incident response plans will be developed with local authorities and emergency services during construction and published before opening. These will cover tunnel systems, roadside technology and traffic management across the wider network, consistent with National Highways’ coordinated SRN approach, including the 2021 CLEAR Keep Traffic Moving incident management plan agreed with emergency services. They will work with key responders to minimise incident impacts through an integrated and coordinated approach across the SRN, which will also apply to the Lower Thames Crossing.

Drivers would be informed of closures through signs and signals across the wider network and through channels such as sat nav, in-car systems, social media, press and radio, supporting informed journey decisions.

The Lower Thames Crossing will connect Kent and Essex, almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London. This will improve journeys and ease the significant congestion at the Dartford Crossing, which currently causes unreliable journey times for businesses as well as other users. As a result, businesses will benefit from quicker and more reliable access to key markets, resources and staff, as well as the opportunities from being part of the supply chain for the works. The LTC will be designed for the largest vehicles and modern goods vehicles, without time-consuming and delay-inducing escorts.

The majority of the construction costs will be financed through a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model on the basis of the user charges that are generated. The details of the charging regime for the LTC have not yet been set. These charges are necessary to cover the costs of providing the service, whether the new infrastructure was publicly or privately financed. To protect the interests of users, including businesses in Kent and Essex, an independent regulator will be established. This regulator will ensure fair pricing and performance standards across both the Lower Thames Crossing and the Dartford Crossing, which will be operated in an integrated way.

As set out in the Accounting Officer Assessment summary published in February 2026, which followed a re-baseline of costs and a decision on the preferred funding model for the Lower Thames Crossing, the value for money assessment has considered 3 funding options. In terms of the Benefit Cost Ratio, under all 3 funding options the scheme benefits are expected to exceed cost and are within the low value for money (VfM) category. The relative VfM of the RAB and full public funding options is marginal. The economic analysis that includes an assessment of a benefit-cost ratio of different potential changes to the charging regime compared to that assumed in the previous VfM results is ongoing. This incorporates the impact on businesses both from LTC and the potential changes at Dartford Crossing. This will be brought together with other considerations into the overall business case for the project when making future decisions about the scheme.

The Lower Thames Crossing will connect Kent and Essex, almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London. This will improve journeys and ease the significant congestion at the Dartford Crossing, which currently causes unreliable journey times for businesses as well as other users. As a result, businesses will benefit from quicker and more reliable access to key markets, resources and staff, as well as the opportunities from being part of the supply chain for the works. The LTC will be designed for the largest vehicles and modern goods vehicles, without time-consuming and delay-inducing escorts.

The majority of the construction costs will be financed through a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model on the basis of the user charges that are generated. The details of the charging regime for the LTC have not yet been set. These charges are necessary to cover the costs of providing the service, whether the new infrastructure was publicly or privately financed. To protect the interests of users, including businesses in Kent and Essex, an independent regulator will be established. This regulator will ensure fair pricing and performance standards across both the Lower Thames Crossing and the Dartford Crossing, which will be operated in an integrated way.

As set out in the Accounting Officer Assessment summary published in February 2026, which followed a re-baseline of costs and a decision on the preferred funding model for the Lower Thames Crossing, the value for money assessment has considered 3 funding options. In terms of the Benefit Cost Ratio, under all 3 funding options the scheme benefits are expected to exceed cost and are within the low value for money (VfM) category. The relative VfM of the RAB and full public funding options is marginal. The economic analysis that includes an assessment of a benefit-cost ratio of different potential changes to the charging regime compared to that assumed in the previous VfM results is ongoing. This incorporates the impact on businesses both from LTC and the potential changes at Dartford Crossing. This will be brought together with other considerations into the overall business case for the project when making future decisions about the scheme.

The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model will allow for a regulated private entity to finance, build, operate, and maintain the Lower Thames Crossing under long-term oversight by an independent regulator. The regulator will ensure transparency, fair pricing for users and performance standards. Reporting requirements have not yet been determined and will be set out as the regulatory framework is developed.

A robust assessment of private investment options has been undertaken for Lower Thames Crossing (LTC). This has included on the distribution of costs and risks between the different parties, as well as on longer term system risks and economic/ social benefits. The Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model has been chosen as it enables the private sector to deliver the scheme efficiently, reduces financial burden on taxpayers through enabling users to contribute to the costs, harnesses the benefits of private investment, and promotes the interests of users.

The Government's preferred financing option for the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) is the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model. The details of this model are still under development, including through engagement with potential investors. No decisions have yet been taken that could result in contingent liabilities arising. The Department will undertake a full assessment of any contingent liabilities once the financial structure has been sufficiently developed.

I can confirm the Department for Transport and National Highways considered both a heavy rail crossing of the Thames and a combined heavy rail and road crossing, serving passengers and rail freight. The report concluded that the provision of rail freight facilities over any new crossing in the Lower Thames area would be unlikely to assist in addressing any shortage of freight paths on key rail routes. As part of its application to seek Development Consent for the Lower Thames Crossing project, National Highways submitted a Planning Statement, which included details of the role that other transport modes, including rail might have in helping to reduce congestion at the Dartford Crossing. Whilst passenger and freight rail was considered before the DCO application was submitted in 2022, it was not found that there was a case for including rail instead of, or alongside a new highway crossing of the River Thames to the east of the Dartford Crossing.

An Accounting Officer Assessment summary was published in February 2026, setting out details of the decision to commit further public funding to the project and on the preferred funding model taken at the Autumn Budget 2025. The Lower Thames Crossing project remains on course to be delivered in line with that decision, and the Accounting Officer Assessment is expected to be refreshed at the Full Business Case stage.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The third Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3) sets the level of performance and investment the Government expects to see in England’s motorway and trunk road network over the period from April 2026 to March 2031. It takes account of evidence gathered over many years from a wide range of sources and stakeholders, and follows a 2023 public consultation. It will benefit all parts of England, including Essex.

DfT Ministers have received correspondence, including from Essex County Council, on the case for the A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme and on the merits of improvements to the A120 between Braintree and Marks Tey.

In finalising RIS3 investment decisions, Ministers considered a wide range of factors, including alignment with government missions; regional equity; impacts on growth, safety and the environment; and the impacts of congestion on all road users, including freight movements, in different parts of the country. This helped ensure that investment is prioritised where pressures on the network are greatest and where improvements can deliver the most benefit. National Highways will set out further details of how RIS3 funding will be allocated in its Delivery Plan, due in early summer.

National Highways engages with local authorities and other stakeholders as it develops its Route Strategies, which assess the current performance and future needs of the Strategic Road Network and inform future investment decisions. RIS3 was informed by Route Strategies undertaken in Road Period 2 (2020-2025). National Highways will shortly be commencing this process afresh to inform the development of the fourth Road Investment Strategy (RIS4).

The potential impacts of the Lower Thames Crossing on other roads in Essex and elsewhere were appraised through the Lower Thames Area Model, a strategic transport model providing detailed representation of the networks in Dartford, Thurrock, Kent, Essex and East London. This ensured that the project’s expected effects on Thurrock’s road network were properly assessed as part of the wider decision‑making process.

Funding under the Road Investment Strategy is allocated to National Highways for investment in the Strategic Roads Network across England rather than by region or by local highway authority area. It is not therefore possible to give a precise breakdown by county of where the funding will be spent. This will depend on asset need, and operational and other spend.

The condition of local roads in Basildon and Thurrock is the responsibility of the respective local highway authorities. The Government has announced a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highway maintenance over the next four years. Essex County Council is eligible to receive £230,943,000 of this and Thurrock £19,416,000. Decisions on the allocation of this funding are matters for the local highway authority.