Our statutory consultation was held between 10 October and 20 December 2018. Its main purpose was to provide all interested parties, including statutory consultees, local communities, organisations and people with an interest in land affected by the new road, an opportunity to understand our proposals and provide feedback.

It also sought people’s views on the preliminary environmental information relating to these proposals, which was presented in our Preliminary Environmental Information Report.

We asked for feedback on:

• the need for the Lower Thames Crossing
• the selection of the preferred route and subsequent changes made to it
• the route south of the River Thames
• the tunnel and its entrances
• the route north of the River Thames
• the junctions
• public rights of way
• measures to reduce the impacts of the project
• the land required to build the Lower Thames Crossing
• the rest and service area and maintenance depot
• forecast traffic conditions with the project
• our approach to road user charging
• plans for building the Lower Thames Crossing
• changes to utilities infrastructure

We also asked for any other comments about the Lower Thames Crossing and about the consultation.

Consultation responses

We received 28,493 responses to our statutory consultation – this is a record for a consultation of its type. Responses were collected from across the UK, with a large proportion from Kent, Essex, Thurrock and Havering. We received more than 25,000 online response forms.

Most responses were from individual members of the public, with 314 from statutory consultees and local authorities. More than 500 were from other organisations and groups.

The Woodland Trust organised an online email campaign with a pre-printed message and space for respondents to add their own comments. In total, we received 2,117 responses to this email – 966 added additional comments.

Main themes

Overall, a substantial number of respondents supported the need for the new road and the proposals. We asked you to help shape our solutions and here we list some frequent themes in connection with the construction and operation of the new road raised in your responses:

• traffic and congestion on local roads and the strategic road network
• impact on the landscape, countryside and green belt land
• impact on ancient woodland and other woodland areas
• impacts to local wildlife and habitats
• increase in pollution and impact to air quality
• impact on local communities, including amenities and open space
• noise and vibration during construction and once the road opens
• the complexity of the junctions, including safety of the roads and crossing
• impacts of the rest and service facilities and Tilbury junction
• opposition to charges

Our responses to these and other issues raised during statutory consultation, including the action we have taken to address those issues, are set out in chapter 2 of You said, we did (PDF 40.9MB).

This consultation was held between 29 January and 2 April 2020. Its main purpose was to obtain people’s views about the changes made as a result of feedback from statutory consultation and technical engagement with stakeholders, further design development and new information.

We asked for feedback on:

• proposed changes south of the river
• removal of a dedicated rest and service area, maintenance depot and the junction at Tilbury
• changes in the area around the A13/A1089 junction
• changes in the area around M25 junction 29
• changes to the area of land required to build the Lower Thames Crossing
• proposals for walkers, cyclists and horse riders
• changes to the environmental impacts
• revised proposals to build the Lower Thames Crossing
• revised proposals for utility works
• updated traffic forecasts

We also asked for any other comments about the Lower Thames Crossing and the consultation.

Consultation responses

We received 6,576 responses to our supplementary consultation. The majority were from individuals, while 316 were from statutory organisations, local authorities and people with an interest in land.

As before, the Woodland Trust organised an online email campaign with a pre-printed message and space for respondents to add their own comments. In total, we received 3,378 responses through the Woodland Trust campaign,1,365 of which were slightly tailored.

Main themes

Overall, a substantial number of respondents supported the need for the new road and the proposals. We asked you to help shape our solutions and here we list some important themes raised in your responses:

• increase in traffic on the surrounding road network, including congestion in local areas and whether the new road would solve congestion at the Dartford Crossing
• disruption to local communities, including moving the route closer to Linford and impacts to amenities
• removal of the rest and service area and Tilbury junction
• the complexity of the junctions, including safety of the roads and crossing, and smart technology
• impact of construction on communities and local roads
• removal of one lane southbound between the M25 and A13
• increase in land required to build or operate the project
• impacts of land required for utilities proposals including works to gas mains near the A2/M2 and in Orsett
• environmental impacts such as air quality, visual impact and climate change
• issues relating to the proposals for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, including the loss of existing paths, safety and concern about shared paths

Our responses to these and other issues raised during supplementary consultation, including the action we have taken to address those issues, are set out in chapter 3 of You said, we did (PDF 40.9MB).

Our design refinement consultation was held between 14 July and 12 August 2020. Its main purpose was to ask for feedback on those refinements presented in the consultation materials.

We asked for feedback on:

• changes south of the river
• changes in the area around Tilbury, A13/A1089 junction, M25/LTC junction, M25 junction 29
• changes to the area of land required to build the Lower Thames Crossing
• proposals regarding special category land and sports clubs
• changes to the environmental impacts of the project

We also asked for any other comments on the Lower Thames Crossing and the consultation.

Consultation responses

We received 1,206 responses to our design refinement consultation. The majority of these were from individual members of the public, with 207 from statutory organisations, local authorities and people with an interest in land.

Main themes

Overall, a substantial number of respondents supported the need for the new road and the proposals. We asked you to help shape our solutions and here we list some important themes raised in your responses:

• increased traffic on the surrounding road network, including congestion in local areas
• disruption to local communities, including impacts on amenities, public open spaces, common land, recreational areas, sports clubs and Orsett Showground
• the complexity of junctions, including limited connectivity to local roads
• noise barriers and their effectiveness at reducing road noise
• impacts of utilities proposals on local residents, including sewer diversions in the M25 area
• the impact of construction on communities and local roads, including construction compounds and working hours
• general feedback on landscaping proposals, including at the tunnel entrances
• proposals for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, including that green bridges would not be wide enough
• the amount of land required for the Lower Thames Crossing project compared to the statutory consultation proposals
• effects on the environment, including on local wildlife and habitats, air quality, ancient woodland and the visual impact
• removal of the rest and service area, the maintenance depot and Tilbury junction
• removal of one lane southbound on the new road between the M25 and A13

Our responses to these and other issues raised during design refinement consultation, including the action we have taken to address those issues, are set out in chapter 4 of You said, we did (PDF 40.9MB).