This project was the first major PPP highway-related project in England to rely entirely on the private sector for financing, delivering, and operating facility, with direct tolls used to repay the debt service. The resulting project provides congestion relief along this portion of M25 for the public sponsor by expediting the financing and construction of the bridge, which effectively doubled the capacity of this important crossing of the River Thames. It also provided a reasonable return to the private partners to the PPP arrangement and the potential to retire all debt associated with the bridge construction and tunnel rehabilitation within 20 years of the bridge opening. This represents a win-win situation for both the public and private partners to the PPP arrangement. Even though this was the first DBFO highway project undertaken in England, it is widely regarded as a successful PPP project.