Lower Thames Crossing contract – preferred bidder

The UK’s National Highways has announced that Skanska has been named the preferred bidder for the contract for the Lower Thames Crossing project.

The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposed new road connecting Kent and Essex through the UK’s longest road tunnel. It is designed to tackle congestion at the Dartford Crossing by almost doubling capacity across the Thames east of London. The £450 million Kent Roads contract will deliver the southern part of the route that connects the A2/M2 to the tunnel approach, and includes almost 6.4km of new road and structures, one of the widest green bridges in Europe, a new public park, and 19km of new or improved pathways for walkers, cyclists and horse riders.

New roads will connect the tunnel to the existing network.

The Lower Thames Crossing became the first major infrastructure project in the UK to use its main procurement process to seek the lowest carbon construction available in the market. National Highways asked for a minimum of 30% reduction across the project and the bid from Skanska proposes an even more challenging limit. National Highways will support Skanska in their ambition to go much further still, through a low carbon design approach, developed with Mott McDonald, and close working with their supply chain to champion new and innovative materials and technologies during construction