Lower Thames Crossing Carbon Academy at heart of plans to futureproof skills

National Highways has today (13 October 2022) announced a digital Carbon Academy as part of a new strategy to give local people and businesses work and training on the Lower Thames Crossing, which will leave a legacy of green skills helping the region become a world-leader in low-carbon construction. 

The proposed Lower Thames Crossing is a new road connecting Kent and Essex that will double road capacity across the Thames east of London through the UK’s longest road tunnels. When it opens for traffic, it will ease congestion on the Dartford Crossing and improve journeys across the region. It will unlock economic growth locally and nationally by creating a reliable new connection between the south east, midlands and the north that brings people closer to jobs and businesses closer to their customers and suppliers. 

The Lower Thames Crossing will provide work for more than 22,000 people during the six-year building phase, ranging from engineers, architects, and designers, to caterers, sign makers and IT support. The project’s new Skills, Education and Employment Strategy sets out how National Highways will help local communities benefit, and includes objectives such as: 

• 45% of employees will be recruited from within 20-miles of the project 
• Thousands of opportunities to raise the skill levels of local people with qualifications, early careers, new work skills, knowledge and training 
• All staff will be enrolled in Carbon Academy to futureproof skills 
• Specialist support for over 1,000 people who were previously unemployed from a disadvantaged or underrepresented group 
• Staff will spend 7,000 hours in local schools with teachers and students 
• Championing local businesses, and spending £1 in every £3 of construction budget with SMEs  

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.

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