Walkers, cyclists and horse riders
Almost 40 miles of new or improved pathways proposed by the Lower Thames Crossing
National Highways is one of the biggest builders of pathways in the UK and the Lower Thames Crossing will add or improve almost 40 miles in total - 3 miles for every 1 mile of new road.
These new or improved pathways are designed to encourage active travel and promote health and wellbeing across the region.
Our plans include new or improved bridges and pathways for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, to encourage active travel between parks, woodlands, heritage sites and employment centres in Kent, Thurrock, Brentwood and Havering.
Our plans include:
- Seven new green bridges - provide safe and easy crossings for people and wildlife, including an 84m wide bridge in Kent, one of the widest green bridges in Europe.
- New footbridges - two over the A127 and one over the M25 to create safe, easy crossing points and restore links severed by historic road building.
- A network of horse-riding routes - near the borders of Brentwood, Havering and Thurrock, a network of horse-riding routes between Thames Chase Forest and South Ockendon and open green spaces such as the Mardyke and Little Belhus Park. Two new bridges across the A127 will also help connect Cranham, Folkes Lane Woodland and Hole Farm community woodland. These new bridges open up the possibility of one day being able to create an uninterrupted route between Hole Farm community woodland, Thames Chase Forest and the Mardyke.
In Kent, improved connections north and south of the A2, between Shorne Woods Country Park, Ashenbank Woodland and Jeskyns Community Woodland. Our plans also include a new bridleway parallel to Church Road. - A replacement route for National Cycle Route 177 (NCR 177) - NCR 177 will be permanently rerouted south of the A2 (parallel with the High Speed 1 railway line), between a point close to Park Pale bridge (near Shorne) and Valley Drive (Gravesend). During construction of the Lower Thames Crossing, NCR 177 will be rerouted further south and will run through Ashenbank Wood and Jeskyns Community Woodland.
- A new 1.8-mile foot and cycle path - separated from road traffic, will provide a safer and easier way to commute between East Tilbury, Linford and Chadwell St Mary.
- Improved foot and cycle path - between the local community and heritage sites such as Coalhouse fort and East Tilbury Battery.
Artist impressions of the new paths
Artists impression of repaired Two Forts Way foot and cycle path and Tilbury Fields park in Thurrock
