Councillors are seeking urgent talks with highways chiefs to try to thrash out a solution to lorry chaos on Witham's roads.

Anger is growing over the damage caused by the increasing number of HGVs thundering through the town.

The most notorious traffic hotspots are in The Avenue and Collingwood Road area.

There are also problems in Church Street and Newland Street as lorries head for Braintree and Maldon.

The town council says gridlocks have been reported, with truckers and car drivers refusing to budge as they meet head-on.

Essex County Council is looking at whether Church Street needs traffic calming measures to make it safer.

And lorries over 7.5 tonnes could be banned from using The Avenue and Avenue Road as a stop-gap measure to prevent more subsidence, but town councillors fear that forcing heavy traffic on to other town centre roads will only create problems elsewhere.

Bob Evans claimed that Collingwood Road had been resurfaced so it could cope with the extra volume, but residents now faced a "total nightmare".

Stephen Bennison insisted a "radical" solution was needed during a planning committee meeting this week. "I don't think Witham is designed for lorries to drive through it," he said.

"We need something as radical as another relief road to take traffic to the Braintree and Maldon bypasses and that's going to cost them serious cash."

Kathie Tearle said it was vital to keep the issue in the spotlight. "We need to stamp and shout very loudly to get as much publicity as possible," she added.

Councillors want to meet traffic chiefs as soon as possible to voice their concerns.

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