We are passionate about the environment and the responsibility we have towards it. 

Building a new road will have an impact, but we are committed to reducing this and leaving a positive legacy – a place for local communities and visitors to enjoy, and a place that gives wildlife and plant life a chance to thrive.

 

Sustainability Report

Our first sustainability report highlights how we are designing the Lower Thames Crossing to be the UK’s greenest road ever.

Protecting the local environment

The Thames Estuary is home to beautiful landscapes and rich habitats including protected wetlands, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, rivers and woodlands.

We’ve chosen the route of the new road and structures carefully to reduce our impact and the enhance the area for people, wildlife and plant life – as we build, and well into future.

Carbon neutral construction

We’re a pathfinder project that is exploring ways to build the new road with a neutral carbon footprint.

We’ll help local suppliers learn new green skills and test and scale up new innovation, including removing diesel from our sites by only using hydrogen and electric plant, and looking at alternatives to carbon-intensive materials such as concrete and steel.

We’ll pass what we learn on to other projects to help the UK achieve net zero by 2050.

The future is electric - around about the same time the new crossing opens, you will no longer be able to buy a new petrol or diesel car, dramatically reducing the carbon emissions from Lower Thames Crossing traffic.

Bigger, better and more connected habitats

We will plant over 1 million trees and create large, well-managed, connected habitats that will help animal and plant life thrive.

Hole Farm – Your future local woodland

In partnership with Forestry England, we’re creating a new community woodland on Hole Farm on Great Warley in Brentwood.

The 95-hectare site is being designed to include an education centre, café, tree nursery, and pathways for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

Almost 40 miles of new pathways to promote active travel

For every 1 mile of new road, we are delivering almost 3 miles of new or improved pathways for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders – almost 40miles in total.

These new or improved pathways are designed to encourage active travel and promote health and wellbeing across the region.

Two new public parks

We’re creating two new public parks overlooking the River Thames.

Chalk Park will be created around the southern tunnel entrance near Gravesend.

Tilbury Fields will be on the northern banks of the River Thames, just west of the northern tunnel entrance in Thurrock.

Green infrastructure

80% of the new road is below ground, or behind cuttings or embankment to lessen its impact

Our plans include the longest road tunnel in the UK rather than a bridge to safeguard protected wetlands on the bank of the Thames

Seven new green bridges – including the widest green bridge in Europe – will offer safe and easy ways for people and wildlife to travel between the areas rich network of parks and woodlands.

Viaducts will help protect natural flood plains and provide safe routes for local wildlife.

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