Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the updated design of the Lower Thames Crossing allows for the Tilbury link road; and whether they have established a timeline for the design, business and funding cases for the Tilbury link road in the Road Investment Strategy 2.

Highways England has designed the Lower Thames Crossing route so that a Tilbury Link Road can, subject to funding and planning permission, be built in the future as a single carriageway connection to Tilbury.

The second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) identifies the Tilbury Link Road as a proposal to be developed for potential inclusion in RIS3. Highways England’s Delivery Plan and Strategic Business Plan, which include plans for taking forward the RIS3 pipeline proposals, will be published shortly.