The Lower Thames Crossing will become the largest road tunnel in the UK and is described by National Highways as “the most significant road project in a generation”. But what about the people whose lives it will disrupt? Surrounded by rolling fields and a close-knit network of neighbours, Jackie Thacker’s home in Orsett, Essex, provided the serene location she dreamed of enjoying retirement in. Yet one by one, those neighbours have packed their bags and left, never to return to the homes they once loved. The 75-year-old now faces a stark choice: sell up or live next to a major road. The government is pressing ahead with plans for the Lower Thames Crossing, a 14.5-mile (23km) road linking Essex and Kent via two tunnels underneath the river. It is due to be built by 2032 at a cost of up to £10bn. But for those living on the route, confirmed by the government on Tuesday, that ambition holds less attraction. “It’s been like a noose around our neck, ever since the route was chosen,” says Ms Thacker, who has lived in her house for 38 years.
The couple have been offered a deal for their house, but they believe it is 20% under its market value. They say they feel trapped as their property is no longer an attractive proposition for any buyer. “It is a very inhumane situation to be in as we can’t sell, other than to National Highways at a knocked-down price.” Her husband, 56, adds: “It’s beautiful here and we never intended on leaving. Even though we own our property, we have no control over the situation at all. We have to find a cash buyer that’s willing to buy a lovely cottage next to a motorway and I’m sorry, but those buyers are very, very few and far between.”
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