BUSINESSES in Thurrock are urging the government for a swift decision on the lower Thames crossing.

A group of businesses wrote a letter to Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer, explaining that they feel that the Option C would be more appropriate.

Option C, would be a tunnel east of Gravesend with a dual carriageway connecting junction 1 of the M2 and A2 to the M25 motorways between junctions 29 and 30.

The group of businesses include Forth Ports, a company that owns Tilbury port, DP World London Gateway.

The letter states that the group is calling on the government to make a decision as the new crossing will be, in their opinion, a vital tool for economic success across the UK.

Perry Glading, COO of Forth Ports, said: "Public investment needs to catch up and keep up with private sector investment in the South East, Midlands and North.

"The Dartford Crossing is one of the least reliable sections of the UK’s major road network, with 300 incidents a year - double the national average accident rate. The congestion is bad for air quality, people's health and puts a brake on the development potential of the area.

"The Government needs to upgrade our international gateways and trading connections to give Britain the best possible chance at succeeding in a post-Brexit world."

Jackie Doyle Price, MP for Thurrock said: "The volume of traffic using the Dartford crossing is more than it can handle with the result being gridlock on our roads.

"Clearly we need a new crossing. Unless we grip this it will start to cost us jobs.

"But I am clear that any new crossing must not add to road congestion in Thurrock. I am opposed to any option which would create a new junction on the M25.

"This would impact Ockendon particularly. That’s why I have been fighting for route 4 which joins the A127. A decision is imminent."

The crossing came about after the Department for Transport commissioned a study identifying five locations for a crossing to potentially alleviate congestion at the existing Dartford Crossing in 2009.

There are currently two proposed options for where the crossing would be built up for discussion including option A via Purfleet, and option c via East Tilbury.

There is discussion over the routes and or new roads that will join a new crossing in East Tilbury to the existing major roads.

The options for routes include route two, via West Tilbury linking the new crossing with the A13 and M25, route three, via Chadwell St Mary linking the crossing to the A13 and M25.

A fourth route would link the new crossing to the A13 and A127.

A consultation was held between January 26 January and March 24 this year.