The Lower Thames Crossing
The petition of residents of the constituency of Sevenoaks, including Swanley and the Dartford Villages,
Declares that the lower Thames crossing is crucial to easing the relentless congestion at the Dartford crossing, which impacts thousands of residents every day; further declares that recent disruptions across the Dartford Villages, Swanley, Crockenhill, South Darenth, and Farningham have highlighted the urgent need for this project to progress without more delays; and notes that traffic congestion frequently results in missed medical appointments, slower commutes, and interruptions for emergency services trying to reach those in need; and further notes that an online petition on this matter has received 1318 signatures.
The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to take immediate action to expedite the delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing to alleviate the severe congestion and improve the lives of residents in the affected areas.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Laura Trott, Official Report, 28 January 2025; Vol. 761, c. 2P.]
[P003038]
Observations from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Lilian Greenwood):
I am aware of the issue of congestion at Dartford, having been to visit the Dartford crossing control room in September 2024.
The application for the lower Thames crossing development consent order was made under the Planning Act 2008. The application was submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in October 2022 and accepted in November 2022. The appointed examining authority began its examination into this application in June 2023 and concluded in December 2023. Following this, the Secretary of State received the examining authority’s recommendation report on 20 March 2024, with a statutory deadline for a decision of 20 June 2024.
Following a written ministerial statement in May 2024, the statutory deadline was extended to 4 October 2024 due to the general election. The deadline has since been further extended to 23 May 2025, to allow time for the application to be considered further, including any decisions made as part of the spending review.
In the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s speech of 29 January 2025, she set out that officials and National Highways are exploring options for privately financing the lower Thames crossing.
The Government recognise that transport infrastructure is vital for growth and acknowledges the critical role that roads play in our national transport system, facilitating the movement of people and goods that underpins the UK economy. We also acknowledge the need to consider all views and evidence in reaching a final decision on any planning application.
I cannot comment further on National Highways’ application for development consent for the lower Thames crossing, as it remains a live application.