The proposed £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing between Kent and Essex has been given the go ahead by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander.
“The Lower Thames Crossing application has today been granted development consent by the Secretary of State for Transport,” the government said in a statement on Tuesday.
Work on the project has been ongoing since 2009, and more than £800 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent on planning.
The Lower Thames Crossing is aimed at reducing congestion on the Dartford Crossing with a new motorway-style road.
It would connect the A2 and M2 in Kent to the A13 and M25 in Essex via a 2.6-mile tunnel under the Thames, which would be the UK’s longest road tunnel.
This would nearly double road capacity across the Thames east of London.
National Highways said the Government is “currently exploring private finance options for the project”.
Construction could start next year, with the new road expected to open in the early 2030s.
Matt Palmer, National Highways executive director for the Lower Thames Crossing, described it as “one of the UK's most important infrastructure projects”.
He said: “It will unlock growth with quicker, safer and more reliable journeys, and redraw the blueprint for building major projects in a net zero future by scaling up the use low-carbon construction, and leaving a legacy of green spaces, green skills.
“Our plans have been shaped by the local community and refined by robust and rigorous examination from independent experts.”
Mr Palmer said National Highways is committed to “working with our neighbours” to build the crossing in a way that offers them “opportunities to work and learn new skills while reducing impacts”.
He added: “We are shovel-ready and have our delivery partners on board, and today's decision allows us to work with Government on funding and start the detailed planning that will let us start construction as soon as possible.”
