The UK government has committed an additional £590 million to the Lower Thames Crossing, the country’s largest road-building project, intended to ease congestion and bolster freight routes between Essex and Kent. The £9.2 billion scheme, now formally approved, includes a 2.6-mile tunnel under the Thames and over 14 miles of new roads.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that construction may begin as early as 2026, with the main works taking six to eight years. The project aims to enhance the resilience of a key freight corridor from southeast England to the Midlands and the north.

The funding is part of a broader £1 billion infrastructure “structures fund”, which also covers repairs to bridges, tunnels, and flyovers, with an emphasis on making them more resistant to extreme weather.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the investment a “turning point for national infrastructure”, preceding a new 10-year infrastructure strategy to be unveiled later this week. The Lower Thames Crossing is part of a wider £113 billion capital investment plan for this Parliament, including a £15 billion package for public transport outside London.