CABINET minister Eric Pickles revealed a personal reason for opposing one plan for the lower Thames crossing when he visited Gravesend.

The communities secretary joked a 2010 proposal in a Kent County Council-commissioned study would put a road right through his house in Mountnessing, Essex.

The plan to bridge the Thames east of Gravesend, linking to the M11 near Stansted, is one of three the options the government is considering to ease the pressure on the Dartford Crossing.

Mr Pickles enjoyed his stroll around Gravesend town centre on April 22 as he sought to drum up support for Conservative candidates in the upcoming KCC elections on May 2, according to county and Gravesham borough councillor Bryan Sweetland.

Cllr Sweetland said: "He was quite bullish.

"He was introduced to quite a few members of the Sikh community which went down very well and they were very pleased to see him."

On the Thames crossing proposals Cllr Sweetland claimed the majority of candidates of all parties in the KCC elections were opposed to a new crossing east of Gravesham.

He said: "It would be enormously damaging environmentally.

"I think in the end there’s going to be another bridge at Dartford because that is the cheap and cheerful option and that is what the government can afford."