THE prospect of a new Thames Crossing here in Thurrock has come sharply into focus over the last few weeks.  

The Government is set to announce what’s happening very soon and MP Jackie Doyle-Price seems resigned to the fact it’s coming here. Mind you, I don’t think the council has accepted that yet.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to look at the bigger picture. The cost, for a start, could run into the billions.

Is a crossing really the best use of huge sums of taxpayers’ cash? There have been plenty of road improvements in and around the borough, with more planned.

Plus there’s the free-flow nature of the original crossing nowadays. Might it be an idea to see what impact these have first? But this now seems unlikely. MP Jackie claims 9 out of 10 residents see the need for a new crossing.

A Gazette poll told a different story. Having said all of that, if a new crossing was built, would it really disrupt that many people’s daily lives?

After all, it could be great for business in the long run. However some 6,000 people have now signed an anti-crossing petition.

Whatever happens, I’d suggest 6,000 voices can’t be ignored.