I attended the small presentation of the proposed new tram tunnel link between Lakeside and Bluewater at Thurrock College.

It’s in its early planning stages but if the many hurdles can be overcome, in the long term, it looks to be a good thing for us travelling residents of Thurrock.

Housebuilding goes on at quite a pace and there are thousands more new homes coming through the planning pipeline.

We’ll need to get about still though, and the fact is the roads are frequently clogged and fume filled.

The Lower Thames Crossing is one thing (love it or hate it!) and some way off... but this tram link could, for a change. benefit us local folk here and – over the water – that’s our Kent neighbours. Trams have a long proven track record. They are clean and reliable.  I’m a keen cyclist, walker and user of buses and trains, making spaces for bikes on board the trams would be ideal.

It’s an innovative scheme which needs financial backing, I hope it finds the multi-million pound businesses and developers to back it. We’ve a few of them here in Thurrock who have the foresight to invest.

Thurrock Council’s elected representatives and officers of the council need to have the wisdom to encourage and support this initiative too. For me, I hope I’m around long enough to be the first to ride the tram through the tunnel with my bike and pedal around Kent and for my fellow Kent cyclists to do the same in Essex.  Yours, ever hopeful… Jon Lane Walpole Close,  Grays