Small to medium sized businesses from Kent will be given special help to get involved in the planned Lower Thames Crossing project.

The controversial £6 billion scheme would create a new road tunnel linking Kent and Essex, relieving congestion from the Dartford Crossing in what would be the biggest infrastructure project undertaken since the M25.

KMTV with the latest on the Lower Thames Crossing

But there are fears about how it could affect Kent, and now those involved with the plans are trying to win over sceptics by saying it will boost to the county's businesses.

On Friday business leaders were told how they could benefit from getting involved in the 14.5-mile route, at a consultation event in Ashford.
Speaking to KMTV at the event, Jo James of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, said: "It's one of the largest infrastructure projects we're going to see in many many years, if not decades, and we want Kent business to benefit from it.

"It's a £6 billion project and we want as much of that coming back into the Kent economy.

"We want to have Kent jobs for Kent businesses and the Kent economy to benefit from it."

While some concerns were raised that small and medium sized businesses would lose out to large companies when bidding for contracts, Lezann Louw of civil engineering consultants Coredev said she believed project organisers were making a special effort.

"Initially that was a huge concern," she said.

"How do we get involved being a small SME (small-medium sized enterprise), knowing how the procurement process works in large projects like this, but I do believe this was addressed.

"I believe they had a contingency plan to provide for SMEs to be part of this.

"They are creating a platform for SME's to prepare themselves to be in a position to tender for this project."

Andrew Kidd of Highways England added: "They will have to compete for work like any other businesses trying to take part in a project like this, however we will be setting targets, requirements around the sustainability credentials of the project, encouraging our contractors to welcome the local supply chain."

Nevertheless the project has received much opposition around North Kent and has not yet been given the go ahead, with Highways England still working on the planning application set to be submitted next summer.

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford