A Thurrock man has told BBC Essex why the new tunnel will be a "tragedy" for the area.

This just in...

Helen Catt
Political editor, BBC South East

Oh the irony. I'm on my way to report on the announcement of a new Lower Thames Crossing but we're stuck in traffic. At the Dartford Crossing.

The fact that something needs to be done about congestion here is barely disputed.

The government thinks its new tunnel east of Gravesend is the answer, promising an £8 billion boost to the economy in return for it's £4-6 billion spend.

But critics dispute how much traffic it will actually take away from Dartford and worry about how much it will put on to the A2.

Perhaps the Transport Secretary Chris Grayling can answer their concerns? Provided, of course, the traffic doesn't keep him from his own press call.

Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

The Freight Transport Association says today's announcement that a tunnel will link Gravesend and Tilbury is great news for the haulage industry, and the east of Kent.

Image source, BBC Sport

Braintree's Mark King is out of the World Snooker Championship, external. 

He lost his final qualifying match 10-4 against Xiao Guodong in Sheffield. 

Drivers are being warned to allow extra time for journeys following an accident on the Dartford Crossing.

There's been more reaction to news of the tunnel to run between Tilbury and Gravesend.

Image source, Department for Transport

Essex County Council, external has said the crossing will be a "big step forward to ending costly traffic queues".

The council's Andrew Cook said it supported the option and there was an "unprecedented" response to last year's Highways England consultation, but that the council now needed to work with others to "mitigate the impact" of the works. 

The South East Local Enterprise Partnership, external has described it as a "major economic shot in the arm", which will boost the resilience of UK and European connections as Brexit looms.

However, Thurrock's Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price, external has said she is "disappointed" as there was a "serious challenge" already with air quality due to congestion around the Dartford Crossing.  

She said: "If we are going to improve the quality of our air we must take road traffic away from residential communities."

UKIP has also voiced its concerns over pollution and said the tunnel will "destroy" people's standard of living in Thurrock, while the consultation was a "sham".

UKIP Thurrock group leader Graham Snell, external said: "With the existing and highly polluting crossing in the west of the borough and a new crossing in the east, the most populous part of Thurrock will be caught in a triangle of toxicity."

The tour of poppies from the Tower of London have arrived in Shoeburyness near Southend, Essex. 

Mariam Issimdar
BBC News

Officers have released CCTV in a bid to trace a man who has been missing from his home in Clacton for more than a week. 

Image source, Norfolk Police

Image source, Norfolk Police

Nigel Kedar, 52, was captured on CCTV leaving a shop in Long Stratton last week.

Police say he visited Norwich on 2 April and made his way on foot to Long Stratton.

He was last seen walking along the A140 at Pulham Market in the direction of the A14 two days later. 

Norfolk Police has deployed a helicopter in the search and is now appealing for the public to help. 

Nick Alliker
BBC Essex

Essex Police officers are this afternoon leaving the scene of a tenancy dispute in Great Baddow. 

Earlier today, the force said that it was working with the local authority after a former tenant re-entered a building in Park View Crescent.

He was refusing to leave but the situation now appears to have been resolved.

The cause of a blaze near the rail line at Witham is being investigated, Essex Fire and Rescue Service, external has said.

Two crews of fire-fighters were called to a commercial building completely alight during the early hours of this morning.

The transport secretary announces the new road will connect the M25 in Essex with the A2 in Kent.

Three people have been charged after a woman told police she had been held against her will.

Image source, Google

The victim, 43, was taken to hospital with serious facial, arm and back injuries, but has since been released.

Officers were called to Arkwrights, in Harlow, over concerns for the woman's welfare.

The three suspects face charges of false imprisonment, threats to kill, actual bodily harm and possession of cocaine. 

They are due to appear in front of Chelmsford magistrates today.

We've just heard there's an "on-going" incident in Great Baddow, with around 12 police officers at the scene.

Essex Police have confirmed that they were called to reports that a former tenant has returned to their home and is refusing to leave in Park View Crescent.

They were called at 07:50 and officers are speaking to the man, the force said, external.

Gareth George
BBC Look East

A High Court judge has just heard how touring caravans were replaced by static mobile homes in breach of a court injunction at a travellers' site in Essex.

The homes were installed to improve living condition for families at Silva Lodge Kennels at Hovefields, in Wickford, near Basildon, the court was told.

During a two-day hearing at the High Court, the travellers have apologised for breaking an injunction, but said they didn't realise they were doing anything wrong.

Mr Justice Kerr could decide later today what sentence six travellers - all related - will face for being in contempt of court.

He told them: "You're here in this court because this is a serious matter."

Basildon Borough Court has gone to the High Court for permission to take down unauthorised travellers' developments on pitches at the green field site, close to where the Dale Farm evictions took place in 2011. 

Political reporter Simon Dedman considers what the new tunnel will mean for Essex.

Former England Test captain Alastair Cook is available for Essex's three opening County Championship games of the season.

The Port of Tilbury, external has said it backed the government announcement of the new Lower Thames Crossing route, but it still wanted a junction near its site.

Image source, Highways England

Charles Hammond, Chief Executive of the Forth Ports group which owns the port, said it was "imperative" that major infrastructure improvements to international trading corridors were prioritised in the face of Brexit.

"This investment is as much about north-south connectivity, as east-west road links on and off the motorway," he said.

"It is vital that nationally significant transport operations like the Port of Tilbury have high quality and reliable road connections. That's why we will maintain the case for a  junction off the new motorway into the expanding port area."

The port said it will continue to press for the junction at the east of Tilbury, with a direct link to the port, as Highways England refines the plans.

The government has promised a further £66m to Essex to help improve links to the new tunnel.

The A13 Stanford-le-Hope bypass is to go from two to three lanes. 

The Department of Transport, external has said the work will help to create 4,000 jobs, pave the way for hundreds of new houses and improve links to Tilbury and new London Gateway ports.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling has also promised £10m to help tackle traffic jams around the existing Dartford Crossing.    

The work on the A13 project should be completed by the end of 2019.