ESSEX County Council is urging the Government to decide the route of a new Thames crossing as soon as possible once a public consultation closes next week.

The authority has published its response to the consultation, supporting a crossing between Gravesend and Tilbury, likely to be a tunnel.

In its response, the council has also stated it prefers a new road through Orsett, joining the M25 at North Ockendon, between the existing junctions 29 and 30, known as route three.

Essex County Council has warned inaction on a new crossing will cause major problems for residents, motorists and businesses.

Rodney Bass, Tory councillor responsible for infrastructure, said: “We need the Department for Transport to commit to an option creating roughly 25,000 new jobs and some 21,000 new homes in Essex and Kent by 2031.

“It’s the right decision to take for all the right reasons - inward investment in Essex and beyond, enhanced connectivity and an improved road network and infrastructure.

“Route three presents a tangible opportunity to regenerate large areas of south Essex.

"We shall continue working closely with Kent County Council, with which we have a completely shared view, to press for the early delivery of this vital infrastructure project which will greatly benefit all the communities we represent."

The council believes the existing Dartford Crossing is overcapacity, with delays costing the economy £15million per year.

But it has also called for investment to ensure existing “bottlenecks”, such as the Fairglen Interchange and Howe Green junction, can cope with added traffic when the new crossing opens.