LTC supply chain roadshows: procurement and package insights for civils SMEs
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on New Civil Engineer
30 Second Briefing
National Highways is launching six supply chain roadshows to help Kent and Essex firms bid for work on the Lower Thames Crossing, the proposed new Thames road tunnel linking the M25 near North Ockendon with the A2/M2 near Gravesend. The events will target SMEs in civils, geotechnical works, materials supply and specialist services needed for the twin‑bore tunnel, approach cuttings, and associated junction upgrades. Contractors are expected to gain early visibility of work packages, prequalification requirements and procurement timelines for this multi‑billion‑pound scheme.
Technical Brief
- Focus is on integrating local SMEs into multi‑tier supply chains under the main LTC contracts.
- Sessions are expected to clarify how work packages will cascade from Tier 1 to lower tiers.
- Roadshows will brief suppliers on required management systems, likely including quality, safety and environmental accreditation.
- Early visibility of requirements should allow SMEs to align plant, labour and financing ahead of peak construction.
- Similar regional roadshow models are increasingly being used on UK megaprojects to deepen local supply participation.
Our Take
With National Highways’ forecast cost for the Lower Thames Crossing now at about £11bn in our related coverage, a six‑event supply-chain push in Kent and Essex signals that LTC is under pressure to broaden its contractor base to keep bid prices competitive.
The Lower Thames Crossing already appears in our infrastructure database as one of the few UK road schemes linked to ‘one of the world’s largest TBMs’, so these regional roadshows are likely to target not just civils SMEs but also specialist tunnelling, M&E and logistics suppliers around that package.
Among the 592 Infrastructure stories in our coverage, only a small subset involve structured regional supply-chain programmes like this, which suggests LTC and National Highways are using more proactive market engagement than is typical for UK highway projects of similar scale.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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