CLAIMS Canvey should home the new Lower Thames Crossing, rather than Thurrock, have been laughed off and branded “audacious”.

Plans for the major link between Thurrock and Kent are approaching crunch time, with a public consultation ending on Thursday night.

Thurrock councillor Peter Smith has claimed the crossing should be on Canvey instead.

Castle Point Councillor, Ray Howard, laughed off the suggestion, adding Thurrock had been far from co-operative with the council over the possibility of a third road from the island in the past.

He said: “To be blunt, it would never work in our current situation on Canvey, and it is an audacious comment for Thurrock to make.

"When I was in high office in County Hall, it was mentioned, and Canvey was discussed, with a link from Sadler’s Farm, but there were too many problems.

“It is nowhere near industry, and it wouldn’t bring the positives that this crossing will.

“It would be hugely expensive, and not particularly practical, the width of the water between Canvey and Kent is at least twice as wide as the current proposal.

“I do sympathise with Thurrock, and Thurrock residents, they have had to suffer with the Dartford Crossing, but Canvey is not the answer.

“Thurrock has been very quick to say no to our proposals for a connection between Northwick Road and the Coryton Oil Refinery in Corringham, which would be a fantastic link and help Canvey people access jobs, but they say no immediately, and then want us to take the crossing?”

The new crossing aims to reduce traffic and alleviate congestion issues surrounding the Dartford Crossing.

Speaking to Sadie Nine on BBC Essex, Peter Smith said: “This whole scheme is full of holes. The location divides our borough and will cause irreversible damage to our borough.

“We believed from the get go that Highways England chose the wrong scheme to pursue. We need another crossing, but we do not need this proposed crossing.

“I am not an engineering expert, but when we talk to the public and fellow councillors, they keep saying further east, towards Canvey on the Essex side.

“At that distance on Canvey, it can go straight under in a tunnel. That would alleviate the impact to the local people.”