The tunnel will connect Kent and Essex, providing an alternative route for Dartford Crossing and Blackwall Tunnel users.
It will measure a huge 14.3 miles and will almost double road capacity across the River Thames.
The tunnel crossing is planned for
The tunnel will connect Kent and Essex, providing an alternative route for Dartford Crossing and Blackwall Tunnel users.
It will measure a huge 14.3 miles and will almost double road capacity across the River Thames.
The tunnel crossing is planned for the east of Gravesend south of the River Thames and to the west of East Tilbury on the north side.
But this isn't new...
Actually, the plans for having a crossing at Gravesend predates both the tunnel and crossing at Dartford.
The idea of creating a tunnel under the Thames linking Kent with Essex was first suggested in 1798 when work began on constructing a tunnel to link Gravesend with Tilbury.
The project began with the digging of a vertical shaft.
However, the estimate was too low, the quality of the engineering work was poor, and the scheme was finally scrapped when the money for the privately financed tunnel ran out.
The idea of constructing a tunnel was revisited on several occasions in the nineteenth century but never gained any momentum.
A bill was first promoted for a Thames Tunnel in 1907 but was dropped.
By November 1921 two schemes had been put forward, at Dartford and Gravesend respectively.
But the Dartford site had an advantage in having wide open space near the Thames.
In a House of Commons debate on February 28, 1924 Rear-Admiral Sueter asked the then Prime Minister whether the Government have had time to consider the immediate construction of the Lower Thames tunnel between Gravesend and Tilbury.
He added: "The construction of the new road from Kingston-on-Thames to Tilbury, linking up to the main roads to the north, midland, and eastern counties, as such works will increase transport facilities and find employment for a large number of men?"
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Mr Gosling replied: "I have been asked to answer this question.
"Instructions have already been given to an eminent engineer for the preparation of plans and reports upon the suggested Gravesend-Tilbury Tunnel, for the consideration of my Department.
"Certain surveys and preliminary investigations have also been undertaken in connection with a north orbital road round London. Time is required for the study of these particulars before any decision can be reached."
After this, in 1925, a report concluded Dartford offered the best site as links could more easily be made with the A2 and the A20.
There was however a strong campaign to select the Gravesend option as this area was 'a natural focus point of industrial development'.
A year later a royal commission recommended the Dartford line, however little progress was made until 1929.
At this time, the estimated cost of digging a tunnel under the Thames around £3million - equivalent to £167 million in 2016.
It was agreed that The Ministry of Transport would pay most of the cost with the counties of Kent and Essex making smaller contributions.
The first engineering work to take place was a compressed air driven pilo