Lower Thames Crossing

The problem:

The Dartford Crossing, the only road across the Thames east of London, is one of the most crucial yet unreliable roads in the UK. Originally designed to handle 135,000 vehicles per day, it now sees an average of 150,000 daily, causing severe congestion and delays. This bottleneck costs the UK millions in lost time each year and hampers economic growth by limiting access to key ports, distribution hubs, and businesses. The congestion at Dartford not only affects motorists but also places a significant strain on the overall road network in the South-East of England.

The solution:

The Lower Thames Crossing is a major infrastructure project aimed at nearly doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London. Spanning approximately 14.3 miles, with 2.6 miles of it in two tunnels under the river, this new route will connect the A2 and M2 in Kent with the A13 in Thurrock and junction 29 of the M25 in Havering. The project will significantly reduce congestion at the Dartford Crossing, improve journey times, and create a more resilient road network. The crossing will also provide a vital new freight route, connecting South-East ports with manufacturing and distribution centers, thus unlocking regional economic growth.

What did MI Engineers do:

• Conducted all early-stage capital works estimates to identify the best-performing solutions.
• Refined estimates throughout the optioneering and development stages, supporting preferred route decisions, public consultations, Development Consent Order submissions, and the client’s business cases.
• Developed long-term operation and maintenance estimates to inform the economic assessment for Benefit to Cost Ratio calculations.
• Established the client’s budget for market engagement.
• Led budget negotiation activities with the preferred supplier to secure a contract agreement satisfactory to both parties.
• Produced the final estimates for use in the client’s Final Business Case.

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