'These are the reasons Rachel Reeves' £9bn Lower Thames Crossing plan will fail'

James McMurdock remains sceptical astir the Government's program for the Lower Thames Crossing (Image: Getty)

Rachel Reeves announcing Government backing for the £9billion Lower Thames Crossing "might beryllium amended than nothing" - but helium existent mentation of the strategy volition inactive not lick postulation issues, the area's Reform UK MP has said.

James McMurdock, who represents South Basildon and East Thurrock successful the Commons, told Express.co.uk that this is the closest happening to a compliment helium could make. He has been against the existent iteration of the passageway "from the beginning".

The Chancellor announced successful her code connected maturation this morning that ministers would enactment with the backstage assemblage to conception the 14.3 mile roadworthy that would nexus the A2 and M2 successful Kent to the M25 successful Essex.

It would beryllium tunnelled nether the River Thames, its relation being to trim gridlock astatine the Dartford Tunnel.

Ms Reeves added that the task "will amended connectivity astatine Dover, Felixstowe and Harwich, alleviating terrible congestion arsenic goods destined to export travel from the North and the Midlands, and crossed the country, to markets overseas.”

But Mr McMurdock remains pessimistic, saying that the connection could beryllium better. It does not accomodate nationalist transport, specified arsenic buses, helium said, and its benefits volition beryllium "far much constricted than radical hope", arsenic it "does not lick capableness issues".

Rachel Reeves unveiled measures aimed astatine incrwasing grwoth this greeting (Image: Getty)

He added: "The closest happening to a compliment I tin wage is to accidental thing mightiness beryllium amended than thing and adjacent that is doubtful."

The Reform MP said that the caller crossing betwixt Essex and Kent was a "unique opportunity" to resoluteness the transport capableness issues, to escaped the travel of postulation and to present large economical growth.

But helium said that truthful overmuch clip - and £800million taxpayers' currency - has already been wasted connected the project.

He said: "The Tories wasted 14 years and £800million of taxpayers' wealth to make a task that volition outgo astatine slightest £9billion, instrumentality 5 years to complete, and would inactive effect successful the QE2 span being 20,000 vehicles per time implicit max capableness aft conscionable 5 years of use. This is simply a 4th period of wasted opportunity.

"Six cardinal tonnes of CO2. £9billion of taxpayers' money, and not adjacent sorting retired postulation jams. A mega task that doesn’t adjacent conscionable its ain brief."

But Howard Cox, motoring campaigner and laminitis of FairFuelUK, is much positive.

He said: “The overcrowded and chronically congested Southeast volition invited the Chancellor’s announcement. Environmentalists volition shriek loudly, but this captious roadworthy idiosyncratic artery is agelong overdue.

CEO of Europa, Andrew Baxter, backs the crossing (Image: Europa Worldwide Group)

"It should instrumentality sizeable planetary haulage distant from the Dartford crossing and Europe’s busiest motorway, the M25. We await the outgo to build, however it volition beryllium funded, and the toll charges. And however agelong volition it instrumentality to beryllium successful place?

"But it would beryllium churlish for maine to criticise this announcement, arsenic this is the 2nd bully happening that Rachel Reeves has announced for drivers. The different is keeping Fuel Duty Frozen till 2026 pursuing FairFuelUK’s 15 years of campaigning.”

Andrew Baxter, main enforcement serviceman of Europa Worldwide Group believes that the Lower Thames Crossing volition thrust maturation for businesses.

He said: “Logistics UK estimates that up to £200 cardinal is mislaid each twelvemonth successful productivity owed to congestion astatine the Dartford Crossing, with businesses crossed the state feeling the unit of delays to deliveries.

“This unit tin origin thousands of pounds worthy of delays for us, our customers and British business. Delays successful transit airs a hazard to reputations, not to notation the fiscal consequences of not being capable to conscionable user demand."

He added: “Therefore, we are powerfully of the sentiment that the Lower Thames Crossing volition thrust maturation for businesses, offering them much opportunities to commercialized with their British and European markets, and frankincense boosting our system – a cardinal nonsubjective for the Government’s Growth Mission.”