THE chaos on Thurrock roads one night last week was cruel and comic timing, just hours after the new Thames crossing announcement.

An incident on the Dartford crossing left the M25 southbound at a standstill, which then had a knock on effect on roads across Thurrock. Some people were reporting taking four hours to get from Stanford-le-Hope to Orsett.

The chaos, which last for much of Thursday evening, left many saying the roads will only get worse once a new crossing comes through Thurrock.

Council leader John Kent said the incident highlighted the exact problem he fears when a crossing and road opens – a pincer movement.

He said: “If Highways England’s proposed Lower Thames Crossing was already in place on Thursday, what would have happened?”

“The answer our highways people gave actually surprised me because it totally backs up what I have been saying for years.

“The new road would have jammed up too. The new road would have jammed and in turn would have led to gridlock along the A13 and far further east than actually happened.”

Mr Kent added: “I have been saying since 2010 that Option C would mean everyone living, working and driving between the two crossings would be caught in a pincer movement, attacked from both directions.”

MP Jackie Doyle-Price has written to Transport Minister Andrew Jones to ask him to look at the gridlock and see what the impact would have been if the new crossing was in place.

She said: “Given that the tailbacks extended deep into Little Thurrock and Ockendon, and directly onto the proposed routes route three, Thursday’s gridlock makes the case for a new crossing to be located further to the East. “While Highways England has explicitly rejected Option D, they must be held to account for the consequences of their decisions for the Thurrock road network.”

In the letter, the MP said the traffic condtions should send a clear “death knell to Highways England’s favoured option.”