Gravesham’s MP has criticised Paul Carter, the leader of Kent County Council, for supporting the proposed Lower Thames Crossing be built through Shorne.

Adam Holloway made his position clear during an extraordinary meeting of Shorne Parish Council called to debate Highways England’s proposals on Friday evening.

The proposal affecting Shorne – Option C – involves the construction of a tunnel connecting Gravesend to Tilbury.

It means a new road could be built from the M2, through Shorne.

Residents filled the village hall to hear Mr Holloway express his disapproval over the treatment Shorne and the surrounding area has received.

He said the situation was a “nightmare” adding: “I am going to blame KCC actually. I think that Paul Carter basically looked at Kent as a whole, and wasn’t duly worried about us. Those poor people at Dartford are not being served well by their leadership in terms of the pollution and the drama there.”

He went on to say that KCC had caused an enormous amount of anxiety for people in the area and maintained that another bridge at Dartford was the only solution to the area’s traffic problems.

He said: “It seems blindingly obvious that before you need another crossing of the Thames, east of Dartford, the first thing you have to do is sort out the problem at Dartford and this doesn’t do that.”

A member of the parish council pointed out that the printed consultation response forms did not readily allow responders to indicate a preference for another bridge at Dartford but Mr Holloway urged those at the meeting to support this option when completing the forms.

Kent County Councillor Bryan Sweetland, who represents Gravesham Rural but recently resigned from his cabinet position in protest to the plans, also urged residents during the meeting to respond to the consultation, arguing that it was “the best thing we can do”.

Robin Theobald, leader of Shorne Parish Council and a life time resident of the village agreed, adding: “The pen is mightier than the sword”.

Mr Holloway and Cllr Sweetland along with Gravesham council leader, Cllr John Cubitt, will join others at a meeting with the transport minister, Patrick McLoughlin, on February 23 to discuss Option C.