A new artist’s impression shows what the longest road tunnels in the UK could look like when they are completed.

The Lower Thames Crossing will link Kent in Essex via two three-lane tunnels under the River Thames.

According to Highways England, the tunnels will span three kilometres and the project is due to be completed by 2027.

The project intends to “provide a safer, faster, more reliable road that will improve the resilience of the wider road network and relieve the congested Dartford Crossing and approach roads.”

Highways England Project Director Tim Jones said: "The video fly-through of the Lower Thames Crossing will give people a better understanding of how the proposed road and tunnel could look once built.

"We are continuing to develop the design based on feedback from stakeholders and local communities so that we put forward a route which maximises the positive opportunities the Lower Thames Crossing could bring, while minimising impacts on communities and the environment.

"This video does not represent the final design, and we will continue to share our thinking and designs as we approach statutory consultation later this year."

The Dartford Crossing is routinely operating over capacity, with 55 million journeys being made each year on a road designed for 49 million.

According to Highways England, 300 times a year the crossing is closed for 30 minutes or more due to incidents, with the closest alternative crossing 27 miles away at the Blackwall Tunnel.

The Lower Thames Crossing will cost an estimated £4.4 billion and create 6,000 new jobs in a scheme welcomed by Dartford officials

The new crossing is not expected to be completed until 2027.