HUNDREDS of south Essex residents have converged to protest against plans for a new Lower Thames Crossing in Thurrock this afternoon.

Campaigners from the Thames Crossing Proposals Facebook page have been leading the demonstration in Grays High Street, by the war memorial, which has seen residents join them in wearing red to say “no” to the proposals.

George Abbott, 32, who organised the demonstration, said he's delighted with the response. 

Mr Abbott, an account manager, said: “We believe the consultation process has been flawed, and that it is why we’ve set up this demonstration. It’s to make people aware of what the crossing could mean. What we feel is that the proposed crossing simply won’t solve any problems. The Dartford Crossing is at breaking point, however only 14 per cent of traffic is likely to use the new crossing – one in eight cars.

“There is absolutely no benefit to having the crossing so close an existing network such as the Dartford one. It won’t pull traffic away, and we’ll be ripping up 485,000 square metres of green belt land in the process.

“That’s why we’ve focused on making today as much of a ‘visual’ as possible.”

Thurrock councillors, who showed their support at the demonstration, reiterated their stance by opposing a new crossing at a meeting on Wednesday night, calling the plans a “shocking, incompetent mess”, adding that residents were being “stitched up” by the government.

Highways England says the public consultation for the new crossing proposals is ongoing, and ends on March 24.

For more information, or to take part, visit lower-thames-crossing.co.uk.