Thames Gateway Airport

The Thames Gateway Airport was an airport proposal from the 2010s. Several variants of an airport on the Hoo Peninsular, or the Isle of Grain, or on an artificial island in the Thames Estuary have been proposed. However, the Airports Commission, shortlisted an Isle of Grain-based Airport in 2014 as a possible site for expanded air capacity.

Most of the access would be by rail, however quite sizeable road improvements would be needed, not least the D4M motorway accessing the site and dualling of the A228 from Strood.

On opening in 2030 the following bits of road would have needed to have been widened due to Airport traffic (presuming no Lower Thames Crossing, which would alter widening in Essex)

• A2 between M25 junction 2 and M2 junction 1 (from 4 to 5 lanes)
• M25 between junction 2 and junction 3 (from 4 to 5 lanes)
• M25 between junction 3 and junction 6 (from 3 to 4 lanes)
• M25 between junction 30 and junction 27 (from 4 to 5 lanes)

By 2050, the list would look like this (assuming the Lower Thames Crossing is built):

• A2 between M25 junction 2 and M2 junction 1 (from 5 to 6 lanes);
• M25 between junction 2 and junction 3 (from 5 to 6 lanes);
• M25 between junction 3 and junction 6 (from 4 to 5 lanes);
• M25 between junction 6 and junction 7 (from 4 to 6 lanes);
• M25 between junction 7 and junction 9 (from 4 to 5 lanes);
• M25 between the Lower Thames Crossing and junction 27 (from 5 to 6 lanes); and
• M25 between junction 27 and junction 21 (from 4 to 5 lanes).

Routes

Route	To	Notes
TGAAR	All Routes

Links

• Surface Access Impacts Study