Calls to Scrap £9bn Lower Thames Crossing for Rail Funding

Proposal Could Redirect Funds from Roads to Rail and Public Transport

Campaign groups are calling on the UK government to cancel major road construction projects, including the £9 billion Lower Thames Crossing. They suggest the money could be spent improving rail and public transport systems.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh will soon decide whether to approve the Lower Thames Crossing, connecting Essex and Kent. This decision comes as the Labour party seeks ways to cover a £22 billion financial gap.

Rachel Reeves, Labour’s shadow chancellor, has expressed support for building infrastructure but pointed out that road projects are not giving the best value for money. The Treasury also agrees, suggesting that cutting road projects could release more funds for rail projects.

Proposals to Cut Major Road Projects

Campaign groups have highlighted the potential savings from cutting parts of the Conservative government’s extensive road-building program. Launched a decade ago, this strategy was labeled as the biggest in a generation.

The Campaign for Better Transport says canceling the Lower Thames Crossing and the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine upgrade could save £10.5 billion.

Labour has also considered using private financing to fund the Lower Thames Crossing project. Recently, the Chancellor canceled two major road plans: the A303 Stonehenge tunnel and the A27 Arundel bypass.

Transport Budget Under Review

Louise Haigh is reviewing the Department for Transport’s budget before the October budget. She revealed that the department has nearly £3 billion in unfunded projects.

The Transport Action Network also submitted a report suggesting that 16 road projects worth more than £15 billion should be canceled or paused.

Lord Hendy, the rail minister, hinted that spending on all transport projects would be reviewed. This could lead to funds being moved from road to rail projects.

Calls to Focus on Rail and Road Repairs

Campaigners are pushing Haigh to reject the Lower Thames Crossing project and not approve any unnecessary road projects. Instead of building new roads, they argue the government should focus on repairing existing roads and upgrading rail freight routes. This, they say, would reduce costs and ease congestion.

However, National Highways believes the Lower Thames Crossing is necessary. The Dartford Crossing, which serves traffic east of London, is already overwhelmed. Congestion at the Dartford Crossing reportedly costs the UK over £200 million annually.

Michael Solomon Williams of the Campaign for Better Transport criticized the project, stating that spending £9 billion on a road that doesn’t support buses is unreasonable. He also added that new roads typically increase congestion rather than reduce it, and such a move could contradict the government’s climate goals.

Investing in Infrastructure That Benefits Everyone

Chris Todd, head of the Transport Action Network, emphasized that the country needs investments that promote sustainable growth. Many road projects, he argued, worsen the situation. Instead, he suggested redirecting funds towards projects encouraging a shift to public transport, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting the environment.

Proposed upgrades to rail freight routes include improvements from the Channel Tunnel to Wembley, allowing freight trains to travel directly from Europe to the Midlands. Electrifying 60 miles of railway track would enable electric trains to run between key ports like London Gateway, Felixstowe, Liverpool, Leeds, and Birmingham. This could be done for just £142 million.

Maggie Simpson, director general of the Rail Freight Group, stressed the importance of investing in rail freight to meet the government’s economic growth and climate change goals. Keeping heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) off the roads would help cut transport-related carbon emissions.

Campaigners Push to Cancel UK’s £9bn Lower Thames Crossing for Rail Investment