Construction is now scheduled to start next year on the Lower Thames Crossing after the government committed a further £891m to complete the publicly funded initial stages of the project.
The money announced in the Budget follows an initial grant of £590m in June after plans for the £10bn scheme were approved in March.
The Budget announcement said: “The government is committing a further £891 million to complete the publicly funded works for the Lower Thames Crossing, as part of its staged approach, after which the private sector will take forward construction and long-term operation.”
Matt Palmer, Executive Director of the Lower Thames Crossing, added: “The funding from government gives us the green light to start building the Lower Thames Crossing next year and puts it on track to open in the early 2030s.