Busy motorway tunnel used by 150,000 drivers per day will SHUT this weekend for major works – check full diversion route

A BUSY motorway passageway utilized by 150,000 drivers per time volition beryllium unopen this play for large works - we uncover the afloat diversion route.

Drivers person been advised to debar 1 large roadworthy crossing of the River Thames from Saturday done to Monday.

Sections of the northbound carriageway and some the eastbound and westbound tunnels of the Dartford Crossing will beryllium closed astatine assorted times for roadworthy works.

The Dartford Crossing connects Dartford successful Kent to Thurrock successful Essex via the A282.

Closures volition commencement each nighttime from 10pm and reopen astatine 5am the next morning.

And diversions volition beryllium successful operation via National Highways roads.

From Saturday, February 8 to Sunday, February 9, the affected sections see the A282 Northbound and the West Tunnel.

From Sunday, February 9 to Monday, February 10, closures see A282 Northbound and the East Tunnel.

Although the closure timings are presently betwixt 10pm and 5am, they whitethorn beryllium taxable to alteration from causes specified arsenic the weather.

It comes aft the authorities announced its plans to built a immense motorway-style tunnel that could outgo £9 billion.

To beryllium called the Lower Thames Crossing, the 14.3-mile way - which volition beryllium the longest of its benignant successful the UK - volition tally through Essex and Kent.

The project, that would nexus the municipality of Tilbury successful Essex to Medway successful Kent, would besides beryllium connected to the A2 and M2 successful Kent, arsenic good arsenic the A13 and M25 successful Essex.

It would besides provide transport links between London and crossings to Dover - which, of course, relationship for fractional of the goods traded betwixt Britain and mainland Europe.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves discussed the endeavour astatine magnitude connected Wednesday and pledged to research backstage financing options up of the Transport Secretary’s determination connected its future in May.

First planned backmost successful 2009, the Lower Thames Crossing would reportedly spot 13 cardinal vehicles redirected distant from the heavy congested Dartford Crossing.

It’s been estimated that the costs of mislaid productivity from congestion connected the Dartford Crossing person exceeded £200million each year, with the way disproportionately utilized by freight vehicles transporting goods.

Speaking to the Express, Natalie Chapman, Head of Public Affairs for Logistics UK, said: “Our biggest existent situation is that the Dartford Crossing, arsenic it stands, is operating regular implicit its plan capacity.

"At the moment, there's precise small alternate erstwhile things spell wrong, arsenic they regularly do."

At present, the aboriginal of the task hinges connected the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, approving a improvement consent bid by the deadline of 23 May.

Reeves’s endorsement has been described arsenic a "promising sign" of the government's willingness to nonstop backstage concern towards transport infrastructure.

The gathering of the Lower Thames Crossing would besides person a affirmative interaction connected motorists; travel times astatine the Dartford Crossing would apt amended by astir 30% and summation to 46% betwixt Kent and Essex.

It’s besides estimated that it would inject astir £40bn into the UK economy.