National Highways to use hydrogen powered construction machinery

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.

View our press releases online at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/press/

The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposed new road and tunnel across the river Thames east of London and will ease capacity on the Dartford Crossing – one of the UK’s most strategically important, but also most congested roads – by taking around 13 million vehicles off it each year. It would almost double road capacity over the Thames east of London.

National Highways has today published the Lower Thames Crossing’s first Sustainability report, it can be found here. It contains a summary of the project’s plans to be the greenest road ever, and contains references to our commitment to reduce carbon, enhance the surrounding environment and support the local community. Some highlights from the report include:

• A look back at some of our milestones over the past year, including our 1m trees announcement, PAS 2080 certification, first trees planted at Hole Farm, £250,000 awarded to 55 local projects through our Community Fund
• Our commitment to low carbon hydrogen
• Detailed case studies on some of the community and environmental initiatives we are supporting through National Highways’ Designated Funds programme
• Our dedication to support local jobs and deliver a green skills legacy through our carbon literacy training

The Department for Transport policy on hydrogen combustion:

Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology produces zero harmful emissions at the exhaust (the only emission is water), is energy dense, recyclable and maintainable. Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2-ICE) burn hydrogen gas, resulting in trace levels of CO2, and some nitrogen oxides (NOx) and therefore cannot be classed as zero emission. However, hydrogen combustion used in non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) is not currently subject to zero emission phase out dates for zero emission vehicles.

Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available via its website (https://trafficengland.com), local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available at https://nationalhighways.co.uk/about-us/social-media-use/

For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option below:

Option 1: National enquiries (9am to 5.30pm) & out of hours for urgent enquiries
Option 2: North West (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 3: Yorkshire, Humber and North East (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 4: West Midlands (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 5: East Midlands (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 6: East (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 7: South East (between 9am & 5.30pm)
Option 8: South West (between 9am & 5.30pm)

Notes to Editors

National Highways is the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads.

Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and major A roads is available via the Traffic England website, local and national radio travel bulletins, electronic road signs and mobile apps. Local Twitter services are also available.

For further information please contact National Highways' press office (24hrs) on 0844 693 1448 and select the most appropriate option:

Option 1: National enquiries (9am to 5.30pm) and out of hours for urgent enquiries
Option 2: North West (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 3: Yorkshire and North East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 4: West Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 5: East Midlands (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 6: East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 7: South East (9am to 5.30pm)
Option 8: South West (9am to 5.30pm)