Relief could soon be in sight for Southenders who have been campaigning for residents' parking schemes.

The council has set aside £200,000 to look into how these can be achieved in areas where there is little off-street parking and motorists have to park their cars on the road, which can often be blocked by shoppers, commuters and other visitors.

Desperate measures - motorists took to parking on the central reservation in Prittlewell Chase until the council stepped in, but now a residents' permit scheme is to be investigated

The traffic and parking committee will tomorrow be looking at proposals for a number of areas as part of the Local Transport Plan programme for the borough.

A report by technical services director David Watts said the areas involved were:

Around Southend town centre, particularly roads near the High Street where there are problems with shoppers parking

Hartington Road area, off the seafront

Around Leigh Broadway shopping area and stretching as far as Leigh and Chalkwell stations

Westborough area, including roads off Fairfax Drive and Westborough Road

Around Southend Hospital, because of hospital parking problems.

Specialist consultants are looking at the Westborough, hospital and Leigh areas while a survey by council staff, consultants WS Atkins and the specialists has dealt with the town centre.

Published Wednesday, January 22, 2003

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