The UK’s largest independent logistics provider, Europa Worldwide Group, is welcoming the government’s decision to work with the private sector to deliver funding for the Lower Thames Crossing, as mentioned in Chancellor Rachel Reeve’s speech outlining plans to grow the British economy (Wednesday 29th January 2025).
Europa recently became the latest global organisation to back the Lower Thames Crossing campaign, which was first proposed in the early 2000s.
The campaign, backed by politicians and corporations alike, aims to address the financial burden that congestion at the Dartford Crossing costs the UK economy every year.
Europa Worldwide Group, whose 27k sq.ft ‘1Hub’ (the largest European groupage hub in the UK) is strategically located next to the Dartford Crossing, believes that this congestion is stifling economic growth and causing huge financial burdens for British businesses.
Andrew Baxter, Chief Executive Officer of Europa Worldwide Group, said: “Logistics UK estimates that up to £200 million is lost every year in productivity due to congestion at the Dartford Crossing, with businesses across the country feeling the pressure of delays to deliveries.
“This pressure can cause thousands of pounds worth of delays for us, our customers and
British business. Delays in transit pose a risk to reputations, not to mention the financial consequences of not being able to meet consumer demand.
“Therefore, we are strongly of the opinion that the Lower Thames Crossing will drive growth for businesses, offering them more opportunities to trade with their British and European markets, and thus boosting our economy – a key objective for the Government’s Growth Mission.”
The proposed 23km trade link between Essex and Kent will connect the North, Midlands and Channel Short Straights, where over half of all goods traded between UK and EU are transported.
Europa Worldwide Group, which has more than 200 truck movements every 24 hours in and out of its Dartford 1Hub, sees the challenges of the current infrastructure every day. It moves approximately 40,000 consignments through the transit hub every month, destined for manufacturers and suppliers across the UK and the EU.
Andrew continues: “Despite being critical to our national supply chain, issues at the Dartford Crossing are stifling economic growth.
“When congestion is at its worst, it can cause thousands of pounds worth of delays for us and our customers, many of whom are critical contributors to our economy.
“There is also a huge personal cost to people in the area, who are having to spend extra hours on the road and fewer hours with their families. Quite often, the traffic they face can be soul-destroying before their working day has even started.”
The Chancellor’s announcement that the Lower Thames Crossing is critical infrastructure that “our country desperately needs” overturns previous delays and speculation. While certainly a sizable infrastructural development, there are many trading benefits which could alleviate some of the strain on the local infrastructure, particularly during busier periods.
The Lower Thames Crossing is strategic on a local level, helping to strengthen the infrastructure around Kent and Essex. However, it is also nationally significant, streamlining supply chains and providing a seamless movement of goods for British businesses throughout the year.
Andrew concluded: “If growth is a priority for our government, the importance of an alternative trade route cannot be understated.
“For British businesses, who have already had to contend with changes in how goods move across borders post-Brexit, the Lower Thames Crossing promises a significant lifeline, streamlining connections across the UK and into Europe, improving transit times, and enabling economic prosperity.”
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