The Lower Thames Crossing will improve journeys by almost doubling road capacity across the Thames east of London, with 14.3 miles of new road featuring two 2.6-mile-long tunnels. The scheme will help to unlock a wealth of economic benefits by supporting over 22,000 jobs during construction and creating better connections to the region’s ports, distribution hubs and manufacturing centres.

The Integration Partner will bring a diverse range of capabilities to create a strong support function to Highways England in connection with the project, including programme management, stakeholder management and risk management. Their experience-based insight will enable objectives for time, cost and quality to be met.

Jacobs will begin to prepare the scheme to move into the delivery phase so that main works contractors will be in a good position to be quickly mobilised. They will also support the successful delivery of the construction, integrated system commissioning and handover to operations helping to ensure the project leaves a great legacy.

Matt Palmer, Lower Thames Crossing Executive Director said:

The Lower Thames Crossing is the most ambitious road project this country has seen since the M25 was completed nearly 35 years ago.  The construction of the crossing will generate 22,000 jobs, and will connect the midlands to the Channel ports providing a boost to the UK economy as part of post Covid19 recovery. This contract award is the first step in that journey.

Jacobs will be join us as a partner, bringing world-wide best practise in large infrastructure programmes to supplement Highways England’s outstanding record in successful project delivery. Together our intention is to create a collaborative team with our three main contractors to deliver an exceptional project that the country can be proud of.

Jacobs People & Places Solutions Senior Vice President Europe and Digital Strategies Donald Morrison said:

We are united around the Lower Thames Crossing’s vision to improve transport connections and boost regional economic growth opportunities, and look forward to driving strategic collaboration with Highways England and their key partners on this critical component in the UK’s future transport infrastructure.

Our collective knowledge and capability in successfully integrating major transportation solutions, coupled with our long partnership of working with Highways England position us to manage this uniquely challenging programme of work, achieving best value against the outcomes.

The award of the Integration Partner contract follows the £2bn Tunnels and Approaches package – Highways England’s largest ever contract – tender launch in November 2020. 

Highways England plans to resubmit its application for a Development Consent Order later this year. An application was originally submitted to the Planning Inspectorate in October 2020 but was withdrawn in order to provide more information.

Visit the Lower Thames Crossing pages for more information on this project.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Environment Secretary George Eustice has appointed Dr Stewart Davies, Ines Faden da Silva and Lilli Matson to the Environment Agency Board. The appointments began on 1 February 2021 and will run for four years until 31 January 2025.

Board members provide non-executive leadership challenge and support to the Environment Agency’s executive through regular Board meetings, committees and groups. They also undertake individual lead roles on relevant issues and with local operational teams.

All appointments to the Environment Agency Board are made on merit following open competition. The appointments comply with the Ministerial Code of Governance on Public Appointments. There is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if significant) to be declared. All three appointees have declared that they have not taken part in any significant political activity in the past five years.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

It is great to welcome Stewart, Ines, and Lilli. Their knowledge and experience will be an asset to the Environment Agency Board as we all work together to improve and enhance the natural environment.

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

The Environment Agency Board’s remit covers about 13 million hectares of land, 22,000 miles of river, 3,100 miles of coastline and 2 million hectares of coastal waters. It’s a big responsibility but it’s a privilege to work with and learn from the Environment Agency’s, and wider Defra Group’s, experienced and expert staff.

I look forward to working with Stewart, Ines and Lilli. They have the skills and knowledge to help the Environment Agency better prepare the country for climate shocks, like flood and drought, and deliver on the Government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution.

The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body set up under the Environment Act 1995 to take an integrated approach to environmental protection and enhancement in England. It has major responsibilities in flood management, water resources and quality, climate change, land quality, chemicals, pollution prevention and control, waste, conservation and biodiversity, fisheries conservation, air quality and navigation.

The new appointments are based on a time commitment of four days per month and receive a remuneration rate of £16,800 per annum.

Biographies

Dr Stewart Davies

Stewart is Chair of the Sustainable Development Partnership for the City of Bradford Metropolitan District. He was formerly Chair of the Environmental Services Association and the Innovation Advisory Board at the Natural Environment Research Council, having served on the board of Innovate UK and the Sustainable Development Commission.

Ines Faden da Silva

Ines is group treasurer at Tideway, a regulated utility and the company building London’s super sewer. Tideway has issued £1.7 billion of sustainable finance, including seventeen green bonds in public and private markets, a green US private placement and a sustainability linked revolving credit facility. Prior to Tideway, Ines worked for Citigroup where she advised and arranged financing for infrastructure and energy projects and later managed a portfolio of structured assets.

Lilli Matson

Lilli has worked for Transport for London since 2006, currently as Chief Officer of Safety, Health & Environment, delivering the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, the Vision Zero Action plan for London and working to address the climate crisis and to ensure TfL’s environmental performance is exemplary. Previously Lilli was a member of the UK Government’s Commission for Integrated Transport and ran her own transport consultancy, leading major projects on sustainable transport for a range of clients.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab discussed the deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth during the “2+2” virtual meeting with their respective Japanese counterparts, Ministers Toshimitsu Motegi and Nobuo Kishi.

CSG21, led by UK aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, will herald a new era for UK-Japan defence and security cooperation, providing opportunities for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy and their respective Japanese counterparts to operate together and support opportunities for future collaboration, including on the F35 and Amphibious programmes.

Both the Foreign and Defence Secretary reaffirmed the UK’s long-term commitment to working closely with Japan to uphold the security of the Indo-Pacific and demonstrate the value of a unified approach to facing global challenges.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:

Japan and the UK have forged a close defence and security partnership that is being elevated to new heights this year when the UK Carrier Strike Group visits the Indo-Pacific.

The most significant Royal Navy deployment in a generation demonstrates the UK’s commitment to working with our partners in the region to uphold the rules-based international system and promote our shared security and prosperity.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said:

Japan is a key security partner for the UK, and a close, enduring friend. This year will see our two nations working even more closely together with the UK’s Presidency of the G7 and hosting of the UN Climate Conference.

The UK’s Indo-Pacific tilt, including the visit of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the region, demonstrates our shared priorities and common strategic interests from maritime security to climate change and free trade.

The four ministers agreed that Japan and the UK are each other’s closest security partners in Asia and Europe respectively, with shared values and common strategic interests. They resolved to further strengthen cooperation on defence, security and trade in order to uphold those values.

A recent Maritime Security Arrangement agreed between the Royal Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF) is one example of how the two countries’ Armed Forces are deepening their relationship. The arrangement, signed by JMSDF and the First Sea Lord Tony Radakin – head of the Royal Navy – will see the two countries share maritime domain awareness, helping to create a safe environment for international shipping transiting between the Indo-Pacific and Europe.

In this spirit, the four ministers committed to further cooperation on monitoring illicit ship-to-ship transfers by North Korea.

In recent years, the growing defence partnership between the two countries has seen the British Army become the only army other than the US to train with Japanese forces on Japanese soil. The VIGILANT ISLES training exercise series establishes annual cooperation on training exercises between the British Army and Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces (JGSDF).

A further 57 military personnel will deploy to assist health boards across Scotland with the vaccine roll out, this is in addition to the 98 members of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards who are already supporting the vaccine effort.

The medics and management staff will make up a Vaccine Quick Reaction Force, which will see 5 teams of 10 able to deploy across Scotland at short notice, in order to assist NHS staff in delivering the vaccine. Teams will start deploying from tomorrow with some beginning to see patients immediately, including supporting Lothian Health Board by administering vaccinations at the Royal Highland Showground.

Up to 24 logistic support staff, mostly from Edinburgh-based 3rd Battalion The Rifles, will assist Health Boards running of vaccination centres in Grampian, Dumfries and Galloway, Borders and Lothian.

Defence Minister Baroness Goldie said:

The Armed Forces are an important part of the vaccine roll out in Scotland. They lift spirits and boost morale and I am delighted that they will be joining together with our marvellous health-care workers to ensure the vaccine is delivered to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible to protect the most vulnerable.

Our service men and women have provided expertise, resilience and flexibility to NHS Scotland in this huge logistical undertaking and these additional medics will provide surge support where it is most needed to administer the vaccine.

Minister for COVID vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said:

Our Armed Forces are playing an invaluable role in helping ensure those most at risk get their jabs, working side by side with healthcare staff in a truly UK-wide effort.

We are distributing the vaccine as quickly as possible across all parts of the UK and almost 10 million people have now received their first dose.

The pace and progress of our rollout shows the strength of our union and how much we can achieve by pulling together as one United Kingdom.

The Joint Military Command in Scotland already has 98 members of the Fife-based Royal Scots Dragoon Guards on the ground, assisting health boards with the set-up of up to 80 vaccination centres across Scotland. They are currently working on sites at the Lagoon Centre in Paisley Donald Dewar Sports Centre in Drumchapel and Castlemilk Sports Centre in Glasgow, all 80 will be handed over to NHS Scotland. Additionally, 32 planning and support personnel are supporting the Scottish Government and local health boards.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said:

The British Armed Forces are carrying out vital work to support the rollout of vaccines across Scotland. Nearly 100 military personnel are already setting up 80 Scottish vaccine centres, and from this week an additional 57 will also be helping to get needles into arms. More are on standby to help with testing, which is still so important. I would like to thank all of our fantastic military personnel for their great work in helping fight the pandemic, right across the UK.

The military has been involved in supporting Scotland’s response to the COVID pandemic since March 2020, providing planners, logistics specialists and aircraft medical evacuation capability, as well as the delivery of a Mobile Testing Unit service throughout the summer of 2020.

Across the UK there is over 5,200 personnel committed to winter and COVID-19 operations are supporting 80 different tasks in the UK and abroad – this includes the vaccine rollout, NHS support and community testing across the UK