A FIRM has been awarded the construction contract on a £8.2 billion scheme to connect Essex and Kent.

National Highways has awarded Balfour Beatty the Lower Thames Crossing roads north of the Thames contract – a two-stage design and build contract delivering around 10 miles of new road north of the Thames.

Balfour Beatty is no stranger to taking on major road schemes in Essex; the firm has been working on a £60 million renovation of the A13/A130 junction of Sadlers Farm roundabout since 2017.

The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposed new road between Kent and Essex through the longest road tunnels in the UK, beneath the River Thames.

Leo Quinn, group chief executive of Balfour Beatty, said: “The Lower Thames Crossing is 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, acquired through many years of successful delivery on behalf of National Highways, makes us ideally positioned to deliver this project to the highest standard.”

The Roads North of the Thames contract is a two-stage design and build contract delivering around 10 miles of new road north of the Thames in Thurrock up to Junction 29 of the M25 in the London Borough of Havering, including a number of new link roads and junctions to connect with the M25, A13 and A1089.

The start of construction is subject to the project being granted a Development Consent Order and government’s final funding and investment decision.

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.”

National Highways applied for a development consent order for the Lower Thames Crossing in 2022, and in 2023 the proposals for the new road will be thoroughly examined by a panel of independent, government appointed experts.