Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Highways England on funding for infrastructure upgrades to existing road infrastructure related to the Lower Thames Crossing project.

Aside from the Lower Thames Crossing project, Highways England is making improvements to the A2 in north Kent at the Bean and Ebbsfleet junctions. This A2 scheme is due to start works in 2019/20 and open for traffic in 2022/23. These changes will support development and growth in the region.

Highways England is also working to forecast the impact of the Lower Thames Crossing on the wider network to inform decisions about which wider interventions may be needed and when. Any impacts on the Strategic Road Network and wider road network will be considered as part of the Lower Thames Crossing planning application (Development Consent Order). Highways England is continuing to work with Kent County Council and all other affected local highway authorities as it continues to develop the design of the Lower Thames Crossing.

Although these interventions would not be funded or developed through the Lower Thames Crossing project, the information will be available to enable future investment decisions to be made. For the Strategic Road Network, these will be considered as part of future Road Investment Strategy periods. On the local highway network, Highways England is working with local highway authorities to provide forecasts of potential impacts and it will work with them to help them consider appropriate mitigation measures.