UK Approves £9bn Lower Thames Crossing Project

[{"selector":"#anim-fcae5cf4-bb90-4859-81ba-ad0a474de65a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e031f6e-4423-4f9e-b2ae-06f99db121e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-962f1fd5-ba96-41cf-868b-0d6ae8e9871b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-653b2d01-d284-4657-87cd-babbba2b7621","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] UK Approves £9bn Lower Thames Crossing Project Govind Tekale

The UK government has approved the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing project, which will result in the UK's largest road tunnel

[{"selector":"#anim-758014e3-0fe6-4d8c-b4e1-d0bfa872b564","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17cbcb3b-acdf-45c0-97a3-04e589024b72","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04256111-7b2f-4b0d-983c-8d5b05db49b5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea5a6f47-cea8-4846-8ed8-39ed6f5874ba","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0edd6c70-ab70-4c95-b240-d5ca83784495","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Washington State Dept of Transportation (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The 14.5-mile road will link the A2 and M2 in Kent with the A13 and M25 in Essex, creating an alternative to the chronically congested Dartford Crossing

[{"selector":"#anim-14137693-581a-466f-936e-6c1aea112366","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e5f07ff-8438-4fd5-8370-e2b62323ef4f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee6587b3-e24a-490d-9baf-f770b38e343e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1832bef8-4ebf-4e1e-a753-96ba39a571f6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9c9b9c1-47bf-4c6f-8377-472e68808727","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: World Bank Photo Collection (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

National Highways expects construction to begin in 2026, with completion targeted for 2032

[{"selector":"#anim-c9c9e53c-2b1d-4556-ada3-569cbba72cef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7be8456-8173-44b1-b608-0450ca1bc4e3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.58885%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07ffcf86-f61f-4625-be23-7b53d8095038","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2565861-20fe-454c-8c38-a5dcc99b071b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3c652658-c268-45b7-8e4c-d21e669372eb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Jan Schoonderbeek (CC BY-SA 3.0)

For over 60 years, the Dartford Crossing has been the only Thames crossing east of London, creating a notorious bottleneck on the M25

[{"selector":"#anim-9f7381a4-fca3-4a1b-969c-c2ac2c96d91c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-41ba84b4-b761-4041-b809-51ce0dd100ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4f72bed-e27f-4f0d-b9c6-ed0475520f1a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f5ace777-133a-4e55-a090-974e14decd7c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-680e0f5d-db8f-426f-a61f-f40592ed82b6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: archived version (CC0 1.0)

Jim Dickson welcomed the decision: "This will unlock economic growth across the country and finally deliver a solution to the traffic chaos faced by my constituents on a daily basis

[{"selector":"#anim-37886bd5-dee8-4b81-b5c8-f6893c4c3abf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-26548b34-ef24-4777-9015-14aa77488bd4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04be7d3e-d37a-4b3f-a2c9-19ef9223b1aa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd55aef4-8119-42bf-ac61-4fdf828adb72","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-adadb3b4-c086-47b1-baf0-2d0ad8ea2099","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: IconScout(CC BY 4.0)

While the project has received planning approval, funding arrangements remain unsettled. The government is "exploring all funding options" including private financ

[{"selector":"#anim-2fcd1944-d584-4e79-a411-4743a549fcf0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d954dd2-f8a0-4445-9fab-6bacb4586a38","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b0d8ab35-56f3-470e-970b-cfb765381058","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0292c327-a5aa-425a-a715-33040cd33e71","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cbfdc0a5-c7d4-4025-90e1-4c63ec0d97d2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free

Over £1.2 billion has already been spent on planning, consultations, and blueprints before approval

[{"selector":"#anim-416b0368-f660-4fe0-8f5a-e700f60f093c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-601a75e6-6eb0-41a8-9e6b-3edda32a1040","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43d3bd98-42b9-4528-b761-200c6bb22e1c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ffba1a37-502d-431a-8774-b31752e52eaf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ac30cf28-21f0-4c62-8487-5cfd89e50dee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Angie Reyes (Pexels))

National Highways claims the construction will support up to 22,000 jobs over the six to eight-year building period

[{"selector":"#anim-658eadcf-22ba-4737-9a8b-acfbbf5f3da2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd79fb89-0091-479a-946b-8e6ceb2dd85c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 250.71511%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c734c407-e7d7-4164-883a-f7e7c6ef3242","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00119271-3786-40fe-84a3-711db863d066","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b7bdf8b9-88e0-451e-abfc-ec03b9067c24","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: mohamed_hassan (pixabay.com)

[{"selector":"#anim-49b97c03-0b33-41b8-bb0c-e2aeffee1522","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14b22f06-6dde-44c4-9092-bee804f9ff65","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-72af07de-e435-4387-a056-7df43cabdb3e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f9352d8d-f2db-45a2-b18a-c4d5efe65ea9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59116c3b-541f-493e-a19f-164bf7880088","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Royal Caribbean Bans Bluetooth Speakers at CocoCay Learn more