The Lower Thames Crossing will create bigger, better and more connected habitats for wildlife and the local community.
Green by design
We’ve used your feedback to improve our plans to reduce our impact and enhance the local environment.
- Building a tunnel rather than a bridge will avoid protected wetlands on the banks of the River Thames
- 80% of the road will be below ground or behind a cutting or embankment to hide it from view and blend it into the landscape
- We've reduced our impact on Ancient Woodland by over 70% by refining the route and our construction plans, and we’re working with our partners to reduce this further
- We're building seven new green bridges – including Europe’s widest – to let people and wildlife move easily and safely between new and existing habitats and green spaces
- We’ll create almost 40 miles of new or improved pathways for walkers, cyclists and horse riders – three miles for every mile of road
Find out more about our walkers, cyclists and horse rider plans.
Green spaces
We're opening up public access to green spaces to support community health and wellbeing, and enhance the region’s network of woodlands.
- We’ll plant over one million extra trees across Kent, Thurrock, Essex, Havering and Brentwood
- We're creating a new community woodland at Hole Farm in Great Warley, Brentwood, which will be home to 150,000 trees and visitor facilities
- We’re building two new landscaped public parks overlooking the River Thames - Chalk Park near Gravesend, and Tilbury Fields in Thurrock
- Creating over 12 miles of additional species-rich hedgerows to help wildlife move across the landscape and soften views
- We’ll create new wildlife ponds and new watercourses that will support wetland species and climate resilience
Supporting local projects
We’re working with partners across the region to support community projects and improve habitats.
- Together with Essex Wildlife Trust we are working to protect native species and install owl-boxes across the county
- We’re improving dormice habitats within Shorne Woods Country Park and building a replica WWII air raid shelter in Shorne Woods for hibernating bats
- We’re funding improvements at Chafford Gorges Nature Park, machinery to help West Kent Downs Countryside Trust enhance Cobham Woods, and sheep geese and cows to improve biodiversity at Vineyard Farms
Cutting carbon
Road transport is decarbonising fast. By the time the Lower Thames Crossing opens for traffic, the vast majority of cars are expected to be electric plug-in vehicles.
As a pathfinder project we’re exploring how to build the Lower Thames Crossing using low carbon materials and methods. So far we’ve reduced our footprint by around 50% and are working with our partners and suppliers to go further.
- We’re the first project to put a legally binding construction carbon limit into our planning application
- We 'contracted for carbon' by putting our ambitious carbon limits into our procurement process and allowed competition to drive it down further
- We’re buying UK transport’s largest ever volume of Hydrogen to replace 20 million litres of diesel, and will phase out diesel on our sites by 2027
- We’ll use green materials including low carbon concrete and steel
- We are PAS 2080 accredited
- We achieved Gold level Carbon Literacy accreditation by completing 2,500 hours of training, so our staff have the knowledge they need to help tackle climate change at work and at home – read our case study here
- Led the founding of the Construction Leadership Council’s Five Client Carbon Commitments
Our story so far
Every year we’ll publish our Sustainability Report to explain what we have done and what we plan to do next.
Our sustainability report brings to life our achievements, commitments, and ambitions to sustainability and showcases our bold plans for the future. It’s our intention to publish this report on an annual basis, to both track our progress and to share our future plans as our ambitions grow.
Split into seven main chapters, our report showcases how we plan to enhance the environment, reduce our carbon footprint, invest in communities, support local skills, education and employment, listen to our customers and stakeholders, create a diverse, resilient supply chain and build an inclusive culture.
Low-carbon footbridge contest
We recently ran a competition seeking innovative designs for a low-carbon footbridge that could be used on the Lower Thames Crossing and across the wider road network.
Entries are now closed and the winner will be announced in 2025.
The humble footbridge plays an understated but vital role keeping communities connected, allowing access to green spaces and encouraging active transport. National Highways is responsible for more than 600 footbridges in England, with 176 of them in the south east, and many will need to be maintained or replaced in the coming years.
Learn more about our low-carbon footbridge contest
