Hundreds may have turned out to campaign against a new Lower Thames Crossing being built east of Gravesend at the weekend, but the message from Dartford is equally clear – keep it away from us.

Long-suffering residents arrived in their droves at public exhibitions in the town to give their backing to Highways England’s current proposal, which aims to ease congestion by drawing traffic away from the existing crossing.

Roy Lewing, 76, was one of those who popped by the Temple Hill Community Centre on Friday to look at the plans, which he believes will make a big difference to the area.

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Roy, who lives in Brentfield Road, just five minutes away from the QEII Bridge said: “We can see the bridge from our front garden.

“People in Gravesend do not want to it in their backyard, but we do not want it in our backyard either.

“We have already got one, which causes us enough grief.

“People in Gravesend do not want to it in their backyard, but we do not want it in our backyard either." - Dartford resident Roy Lewing.

“I suffer from asthma and living that close does not do me a lot of good at times, and a friend of mine travels up to my house from Gravesend and nearly every day he is moaning about the traffic on the A2.

“I would think Option C would make a big difference.”

Another person to take a look at the plans was Peter Weller, 64, who lives in Brunel Way.

He lives so close to the current crossing that he jokingly refers his road as ‘the Bridge Estate’.

“I am affected by the tunnel quite a lot because any time it is jammed I cannot get off the estate,” he said.

VIDEO: Huge numbers turned out to back Option C for Lower Thames Crossing

“Option C would certainly make a difference to the congestion because if there is a problem in the tunnel it can take several hours sometimes to get into our estate.

"I do not see what else can be done.” - Local Peter Weller.

“I can understand why people in Shorne are not happy because it is a very expensive area, I can understand why they do not want building work anywhere close to them, but I do not see what else can be done.”

Also in favour of the plans on show were Alan Cropper and Kathleen Rudman, who both live within minutes of the crossing.

Alan, 61, believes the new crossing would benefit the whole of north Kent.

“I think this option is constructed properly and thought through carefully, it could actually benefit not just Dartford but the whole of north Kent,” he said.

“It is going to take an awful lot of traffic away from Dartford.

“If the government has got to spend a lot more money now then do it — get it right first time.”

Kathleen, 78, of Rosedale Close, said: “The tunnel is snarled up every day and it should not be.

"The further down the river it goes the better.” - Kathleen Rudman.

“All I can say is the further down the river it goes the better.”

Mo Wright attended the exhibition on behalf of the New Ash Green Residents Society.

Mo, 62, who chairs the society, said: “The speed at which you can cross the Thames is so unreliable.

“If there is an accident or it is windy and the bridge is out of action there are such huge hold-ups.

“I think it would be good for the traffic that comes up from the coast to just get over to the other side of the river, rather than have to come through Dartford.”

Highways England says that more than 10,000 people have now stopped by at Lower Thames Crossing events across Kent and Essex.

The Temple Hill exhibition was one of two in Dartford – another took place at The Orchards Shopping Centre on Saturday.

Information packs can also be picked up from Dartford Library, with a full list of pick-up points available by calling 0300 123 5000.