Hurst

Overview

In Spring 2020 we embarked upon a £1 billion project to rewire South London via deep underground tunnels. In total, 32.5km of 3m diameter tunnels are being constructed deep below the road network between Wimbledon and Crayford, which will carry high voltage electricity cables.

Construction of the shaft was completed on the site, and the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) passed from Hurst to Crayford in February 2023. We are currently constructing a headhouse on site to cover the shaft and provide ventilation and access to the tunnel once it has been finalised.

The LPT project, designed to bolster London's electricity network in response to increasing demand and support a net-zero future, is set to be fully operational by 2026.

Key facts

Dimensions: The shaft is approximately 15m in diameter and 35m in depth. The headhouse will have a maximum footprint of 15m long by 15m wide and will reach a maximum height of 10m.
Access: Our construction vehicles will leave the site using our temporary access road which will connect the A223 North Cray Road to Stable Lane. Following feedback from our public information events in 2018, National Grid constructed this access road for all HGV traffic to re-direct vehicles away from residential roads.
Traffic: We are slowly reducing movements to site during headhouse works, and as such anticipate minimal heavy good vehicle (HGV) movement and disruption.
Working hours: Our current working hours are:
- Monday – Friday: 7am to 7pm
- Saturday: 7am to 1pm (as required)

Timeline

February 2021 – Work began on site
January 2022 – Completed 2km of tunnel boring
February 2023 – TBM passed from Hurst to Crayford
March 2023 – Headhouse construction works began
Autumn 2023 – Tunnel boring completed along entire route of project
2026 – Project expected to be fully operational

Address

Our site at Hurst is located at the junction of the A223 and Stable Lane in North Cray.

Community involvement

National Grid is committed to working with and supporting the local communities around its project sites. To support communities around the LPT project, National Grid and our partners are delivering:

Outreach programme: An engaging and impactful outreach programme for secondary school students in the local area, promoting engineering careers for our net zero future.
Community Grant Programme: Provision of financial support for local projects via our Community Grant Programme.
Volunteer days: Hands-on support provided by the project team via volunteer days conducted in the community.

In November 2023, we published a Social Impact Report for the LPT school outreach programme, which illustrates the social benefits the programme has delivered for young people across South London. Working alongside early-talent specialists, Connectr, we have supported over 100,000 young people during the initial three and half years of the programme – achieving our ambition of engaging over 100,000 students before 2025.