National Highways has awarded an international infrastructure group a £1.2 billion contract to work on its proposed Lower Thames Crossing (LTC). 

Balfour Beatty will work on the "Roads North of the Thames" contract, a project consisting of 10 miles of highways connecting the tunnel at Tilbury to junction 29 of the M25. 

The company will also deliver 49 structures as part of the contract, including bridges and major viaducts. 

The LTC, intended to ease congestion around the Dartford Tunnel, is currently being examined by the planning inspectorate, after National Highways’ application for a Development Consent Order was accepted in late 2022. 

The planning process is expected to take around 18 months, with a Notice to Proceed, if granted, anticipated from the Department for Transport in 2024. 

In a statement, Balfour Beatty said it will look to spend £500 million with local businesses and supply chain partners, and will employ a workforce of around 2,000 people. 

It added that if a Notice to Proceed is issued, the main construction work will begin shortly after, with completion expected between 2029 and 2030. 

Katharina Ferguson, Lower Thames Crossing procurement director, said: “Balfour Beatty will bring the best of UK construction to bare on this project. They share our commitment to driving carbon out of construction and maximise the benefits for local communities.” 

Leo Quinn, group chief executive of Balfour Beatty, added: “The Lower Thames Crossing is a significant scheme - one that will stimulate local, regional and national economic growth, create employment opportunities and new, sustainable methods of construction for the future of our industry.

“Our deep domain knowledge and long-standing history in complex road construction... makes us ideally positioned to deliver this project to the highest standard.” 

Since the project was first mooted, the proposed LTC has come under criticism for potential issues including its environmental impact and the extent to which it will actually ease traffic. 

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Laura Blake, chair of the Thames Crossing Action Group (TCAG), has described the LTC as “hugely destructive and harmful”, while Cllr Damian White, the previous leader of Havering Council, has said it will “undermine our efforts to improve air quality in the borough”. 

To provide more information on the LTC, a number of community events have been organised by National Highways, in locations including Upminster, Brentwood and Dartford. 

For the full list of dates and places, visit: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-roads/lower-thames-crossing/news-and-media/news/community-event-in-february/