There are just hours left for you to have your say on plans for a new Thames Crossing. After eight weeks of fierce debate and protests, Highways England will close its public consultation at 11.45pm on Thursday.

Transport bosses are expected to approve Option C, a proposed £5 billion tunnel connecting Gravesend with Tilbury in Essex, but another crossing at Dartford has not been completely ruled out.

It has divided north Kent with Dartford keen on a route which it hopes will relieve some of the horrendous congestion while Gravesend is strongly against it.

Project manager Martin Potts said: “A new crossing is needed to reduce congestion at the existing Dartford crossing and unlock economic growth, supporting the development of new homes and jobs in the region.

“If you have already responded, thank you. If haven’t yet given us your feedback, there is still time.

“Your views are important to us. Thank you in advance for your response.”

Councillors, residents and local MPs have all voiced their views since the consultation began on January 26, just days after the Messenger exclusively revealed that the tunnel east of Gravesend, Option C, was Highways England’s preferred route.

About 400 people turned out at St John’s School in Gravesend to quiz Mr Potts and his team last month, with Gravesham council leader John Cubitt among those to blast the plans.

Elsewhere, a Chalk vicar accused Highways England of lying about the consultation.

The Rev Nigel Bourne, of St Mary the Virgin Church, said: “What we have here is not a consultation document, it is a brochure. You are selling us a lie.”

Kent Greens have also lodged their objection to the new crossing, claiming that air pollution in Kent is already responsible for a very high number of deaths and that economic growth is not needed in the South East.

Co-chairman Stuart Jeffery said: “The Climate Change Act requires a reduction in CO2 emissions in direct contrast to the facilitation of a 34% increase in traffic that the new crossing will allow. Building the new crossing would constitute a climate crime.”

Unsurprisingly, people in Dartford have been far more receptive to the plans.

Residents came out in their droves to support the proposal at public exhibitions in Temple Hill and Orchards Shopping Centre.

“I want to encourage as many people from Dartford as possible to take part in the consultation to show the Department for Transport the strength of feeling locally against there being another crossing in the Dartford area...” - Dartford MP Gareth Johnson

MP Gareth Johnson has also backed Option C.

He said: “I want to encourage as many people from Dartford as possible to take part in the consultation to show the Department for Transport the strength of feeling locally against there being another crossing in the Dartford area.”

“I’m confident there will not be another crossing at Dartford. It would be madness to locate it there.”

A second crossing at Dartford, Option A, features a tunnel and a bridge at a cost of £1.25 billion.

Option B, which planned to connect the A2 Swanscombe Peninsula with the A1089 at Tilbury in Essex, was scrapped in 2013 due to the London Paramount development.

The South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SE LEP) say the new crossing, alongside projects like Paramount, will help Kent foster closer ties with London.

Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget speech included the announcement of a Thames Estuary Growth Commission, to be headed by Lord Heseltine.

SE LEP chairman George Kieffer said: “The economy of the Thames Estuary is integral to the long-term prosperity of the UK, thanks to its ports and trade links to mainland Europe.”

“The timing of the commission’s announcement sends a positive message to everybody in the area that the government is committed to ensuring communities east of London realise their full economic and social potential.”