Nearly £5m has been set aside as part of a major new study exploring options to bring Crossrail to north Kent.

The Crossrail to Ebbsfleet partnership (C2E) was set up in 2016 with the task of supporting an extension to the region.

Early proposals for the £18m rail project, dubbed Crossrail 1, was originally due to open in 2018, and had included running the line out towards Gravesend.

But the campaign - which consists of the councils of Bexley, Dartford, Gravesham and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation - has repeatedly seen efforts scuppered and delayed.

Now these plans have been given a much needed boost after it was revealed a new landmark study has been launched to explore options to improve the rail network.

The Ministry for Housing and Local Government has set aside up £4.85m for the work which will be overseen by the C2E Partnership.

It will explore a range of transport options on the corridor between Abbey Wood and Ebbsfleet.

The study also aims to understand the development challenges within each area, signpost possible transport improvement options, and identify opportunities for further jobs and housing growth.

Feedback will be sought from Kent County Council and local authorities at Dartford and Gravesham, as well as feeding in input from Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, The Thames Gateway Kent Partnership, and Network Rail.

In June 2018, the C2E Partnership secured the backing of the Thames Estuary 2050 Growth Commission which aims to secure future investment in the region.

Since January the partnership has been engaging with the government to develop the detailed scope of the study and the main consultants have now been put in place.

Lead consultants in the study will be construction designers Atkins/Jacobs, who will undertake the transport and growth analysis, and KPMG, who will consider funding and finance options for any scheme.

Gravesham and Dartford council leaders John Burden and Jeremy Kite have long called for Crossrail to be extended into north Kent.

Both have said it would be “short-sighted” to ignore huge developments in the area and the planned London Resort theme park in Swanscombe.

The C2E Partnership has repeatedly called for the route to continue from its planned termination in Abbey Wood to call at Dartford, Greenhithe, Stone Crossing, Swanscombe and then Ebbsfleet Garden City.

Dartford Council leader Jeremy Kite branded the 15-month study a "very encouraging sign".

He said: "We have been working for some time to persuade ministers that enhanced and efficient public transport connections for north west Kent can make a key contribution to the ‘good growth’ that all our communities are looking for.

"Our first and obvious ambition was to see an extension of Crossrail from Abbey Wood to Ebbsfleet to provide immediate travel-to-work improvements for Dartford residents as well as opening up new options for journeys right across the network.

"The government have responded positively with a substantial amount of funding to research the opportunities and build the business case."

The Tory leader went on to add it showed the government had taken heed that proposals were not "just about bricks and mortar" but also tackling transport issues local families face every day.

He added: "The construction of the Lower Thames Crossing away from the congested M25 is crucial but the problems faced by Dartford people and businesses won’t just be solved by building more roads.

"We must modernise our whole local public transport system so that we can get communities moving.

"This is a substantial investment from the government and strongly suggests that the ambitions are being taken seriously."

Ian Clarke, engagement lead at KPMG, said: "The key to making a strong case to government for new transport improvements is to prove that they are essential in unlocking real benefits within the wider area.

"And that a proportion of these benefits can be captured fairly over time to help fund the scheme."

'This is a substantial investment from the Government and strongly suggests that the ambitions are being taken seriously...'

He added: "In that way everyone wins."

It comes as Kent County Council announced it had drafted a 10-year transport action plan to put political pressure on government bosses and train operators to transform the region's rail system by 2030.

This includes lobbying Department for Transport for a cross-county service to run from Canterbury West to Gatwick airport, near Crawley via Ashford and Tonbridge stations.

The C2E study is scheduled to last approximately 15 months, ending in the autumn of next year.

Two rounds of publication consultation have been scheduled for later this year and again in the new year.

Keep up- to-date with developments on transport and stories that will impact how you travel

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford

Read more: All the latest news from Gravesend