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| Lower Thames Crossing: Protesters oppose Gravesend and Tilbury plan | Lower Thames Crossing: Protesters oppose Gravesend and Tilbury plan |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of people gathered in Gravesend on Saturday to oppose Highways England's preferred plan for a lower Thames crossing. | Hundreds of people gathered in Gravesend on Saturday to oppose Highways England's preferred plan for a lower Thames crossing. |
| The agency is carrying out a public consultation on "Option C" which would connect Tilbury to Gravesend by tunnel. | The agency is carrying out a public consultation on "Option C" which would connect Tilbury to Gravesend by tunnel. |
| It believes this route offers the best economic benefits and the greatest improvement in journey times. | It believes this route offers the best economic benefits and the greatest improvement in journey times. |
| But protesters say the consultation is "flawed" and another crossing at Dartford is a better solution. | But protesters say the consultation is "flawed" and another crossing at Dartford is a better solution. |
| The protest outside Gravesham Civic Centre has been arranged by Bob Lane of Abridge2far, which opposes any form of the Option C proposals. | The protest outside Gravesham Civic Centre has been arranged by Bob Lane of Abridge2far, which opposes any form of the Option C proposals. |
| He urged the public not to rely on the "sketchy and incomplete" consultation booklet before making a decision. | He urged the public not to rely on the "sketchy and incomplete" consultation booklet before making a decision. |
| 'Devastating effect' | 'Devastating effect' |
| The proposed road would run from the M2 to the M25 in Essex, tunnelling under the Thames east of Gravesend. | The proposed road would run from the M2 to the M25 in Essex, tunnelling under the Thames east of Gravesend. |
| Highways England is recommending "Option C" over "Option A", which would have seen a new crossing at Dartford. | Highways England is recommending "Option C" over "Option A", which would have seen a new crossing at Dartford. |
| Councillor Robin Theobald of Gravesham Borough Council, who lives in Shorne, said the impact on his village would be "significant". | Councillor Robin Theobald of Gravesham Borough Council, who lives in Shorne, said the impact on his village would be "significant". |
| The village is already surrounded by major roads and this would be the "last straw" causing "traffic chaos", he said. | The village is already surrounded by major roads and this would be the "last straw" causing "traffic chaos", he said. |
| Gravesham councillor John Cubitt said: "My real concern is that Dartford plays no part in the consultation. [It] does not give the public the option." | Gravesham councillor John Cubitt said: "My real concern is that Dartford plays no part in the consultation. [It] does not give the public the option." |
| However, Paul Carter, leader of Kent County Council, has warned "substantive evidence" suggests that building at Dartford would be a "massive mistake". | |
| Councillor Jeremy Kite of Dartford Borough Council said: "However many people turn up [to protest] it will only be a fraction of the number of people who get trapped in crossing difficulties at Dartford almost every day. | Councillor Jeremy Kite of Dartford Borough Council said: "However many people turn up [to protest] it will only be a fraction of the number of people who get trapped in crossing difficulties at Dartford almost every day. |
| "The Highways England information is unequivocal - you cannot solve the problem at Dartford." | "The Highways England information is unequivocal - you cannot solve the problem at Dartford." |