Lower Thames Crossing update

Please see the following message from Highways England

As you are aware, the Lower Thames Crossing is currently undertaking a series of surveys at locations throughout North Kent and Essex to help us to improve our proposals and support our Development Consent Order application.
 
I am writing to let you know about the next phase of these surveys. As well as continuing with ground investigations, archaeological trial trenching and utility trial trenching, we will now also be carrying out nail surveys which involves installing small survey nails along and near to the proposed route.
 
What are you doing?

• Ground investigations

This mainly consists of drilling boreholes with a rig through soils up to depths of 60m, to identify the geology, obtain samples, and carry out tests.

• Archaeological trial trenching

We are digging shallow trenches with mechanical excavators to assess the archaeological features of a site. The trenches are approximately 30 metres long and 2 metres wide.

• Utility trial trenching

We are digging small trenches either by hand-digging or with the use of a vacuum excavator, before scanning for existing belowground utilities.

• Survey nails

We are installing survey nails to enable us to identify the geographic coordinates of the proposed route and associated works. They are small in size and designed to ensure that they are not a trip hazard.
 
Where will the investigations take place?

• The borehole and trench locations are mainly on private farm land along or near to the proposed route.
• For some of the utilities surveys, the works can also include public roads.
• The survey nails will be installed on private land and public pathways or roads.

 
When will the work take place?

• This phase of surveys will continue until early 2021.
• Most of the work will take place Monday to Friday, between 8am and 6pm with the possibility of some weekends.

 
We will continue to write to nearby residents in advance to let them know what is happening and when.
 
Utility Surveys – Thong Lane
We will be carrying out utility survey works near to Inn on the Lake on Friday 25th September which will require a single-lane closure with temporary traffic lights between 9pm and 5am. We are also planning overnight works (between 9pm and 5am) on Monday 19th October, this will be a bit further north on Thong Lane and will require a full road closure.
 
You can find further details on these surveys and where they are taking place on the communities page of our website.