Opponents to the Lower Thames Crossing have thrown doubt on claims the road will be the "greenest ever built in the UK".

National Highways yesterday announced the crossing planned between Gravesend and Essex had been designated a 'pathfinder project', and would "explore carbon neutral construction as part of its efforts to make the new crossing the greenest road ever built in the UK."

The announcement was made at a ‘Road to Net Zero Construction’ event in partnership with the Thames Estuary Growth Board; and which saw firms bidding to build the project set out their commitment to support low carbon goals.

But opponents from the Thames Crossing Action Group said the claims were unsubstantiated, wrapped in confusing terminology, and ultimately meant very little.

"What exactly does 'pathfinder' mean?" said a statement from the group. "Seems like an attempt of using terminology that nobody really knows or understands to try and give the impression they have a plan. From what we can see in the info provided there is a lot of talk, but not much actual evidence to back up the talk. Identifying, testing and considering ideas doesn't give us much confidence that if the proposed Lower Thames Crossing did go ahead it would solve the problem of over 5 million tonnes of carbon emission.

"It seems to us that unless National Highways are proposing painting the LTC green with paint, if it goes ahead, such a hugely destructive and harmful road project will never be able to be considered green. That said in light of the serious safety concerns about the orange paint on the Smart Motorway emergency refuge areas, we wouldn't trust them with that either. There is simply no evidence to back up talk of LTC being the greenest road in the UK."

The campaign group also said the suggestion the road would improve the lives of millions of people, create jobs, protect wildlife and open up areas of landscape, was "nonsense."

They added: "The proposed LTC, if it goes ahead, would negatively impact the lives, homes, businesses, health and wellbeing of people, destroying communities, greenbelt, woodland including irreplaceable ancient woodland, agricultural land including valuable grade 1 listed land, solar farms, wildlife and habitat, the environment and so much more.

"There is no evidence in the info shared by National Highways that changes our mind, we are and remain strongly opposed to the proposed Lower Thames Crossing."