The Decrease Thames Crossing would be the first main infrastructure programme in Britain to be carbon impartial in development.
The information comes as a British-made JCB hydrogen fuelled digger – the primary one deployed exterior a check surroundings wherever on the earth – was used to hold out survey work on the challenge in Kent.
The Decrease Thames Crossing, a brand new highway and tunnel linking Kent and Essex, will double highway capability throughout the Thames. It is going to drive development by making a direct and environment friendly freight route between the ports of the South East, the Midlands, and the North, and easing congestion on the Dartford Crossing – one of many UK’s most significant commerce routes that carries a better share of freight than every other highway on the strategic highway community.
The Decrease Thames Crossing is the primary in a brand new technology of British infrastructure initiatives that’s designed to drive financial development whereas serving to the nation to fulfill its net-zero ambitions and turn into a clear vitality superpower.
As a carbon pathfinder challenge, the Decrease Thames Crossing is scaling up the usage of low-carbon development strategies and supplies, and in partnership with native SMEs and specialists throughout Britain is creating new inexperienced abilities and creating jobs.
The challenge goals to chop its development carbon footprint by 70% by aggressively concentrating on carbon because it refines the design of the brand new highway and adopting new supplies and strategies of development as they emerge. It has additionally made a authorized dedication to responsibly offset any remaining carbon emissions utilizing finest observe, and solely within the early 2030s as soon as efforts to scale back it throughout development are exhausted.
The challenge is making early progress on its promise to carbon impartial as one among its worksites grew to become the primary ever to host the reside deployment of a hydrogen powered digger wherever on the earth.
A British-made JCB digger is being utilized by Skanska, the challenge’s supply accomplice accountable for constructing the brand new highway in Kent, to hold out floor investigation surveys across the route of the highway close to Gravesend. The machine was supplied by Flannery Plant Rent, and the hydrogen gas was supplied by Ryze.
The bottom investigation work won’t solely assist Skanska refine the detailed design of the highway, however has proved that the hydrogen machine is a succesful alternative for diesel powered equipment that has already saved over 1 tonne of CO2e throughout its first 4 weeks of operation.
The reside deployment of the machine follows a profitable trial at Gallagher’s Hermitage Quarry in Kent earlier this yr. The JCB machine is present process remaining testing and validation with plans to enter full manufacturing on the agency’s Rocester manufacturing unit in Staffordshire throughout 2026.
The challenge goals to eradicate diesel from its worksites by 2027 by making the most important ever buy of inexperienced hydrogen for a development challenge and utilizing it alongside electrical and biofuel to energy its equipment. The contract to produce, retailer and distribute hydrogen to the Decrease Thames Crossing’s heavy diggers and gear throughout its development websites is anticipated to be awarded later this yr. The challenge will even solely use the bottom carbon concrete and metal.
“The federal government-backed Decrease Thames Crossing will slash journey occasions for motorists, in addition to our important freight trade. Its development will even be fully carbon impartial, displaying main infrastructure initiatives could be delivered hand in hand with our bold environmental targets,” says Simon Lightwood, roads and buses minister. “Constructed and powered by British companies, the Decrease Thames Crossing is creating financial development and unlocking jobs, all a part of our authorities’s Plan for Change.”
The challenge obtained planning permission in March 2025 and is now working with the federal government on funding choices. Development may begin as early as 2026, with the brand new highway anticipated to open within the early 2030s.
Photos: Decrease Thames Crossing
