FEARS dangerous parking on a street labelled “nightmare alley” could see someone killed have been raised, leading to calls to bring in permits and double yellow lines quickly.
David Burton-Sampson, chair of the Radford Park Residents Association, has compared turning corners in School Avenue in Laindon to “playing the lottery”, with drivers forced to make their way through "an assault course" to get from one end of the road to another.
He says there is risk in people driving head-on into oncoming vehicles as motorists park on bends and block visibility.
Permission was given for the double yellow lines in October, subject to cabinet member sign off - a move which is still yet to take place.
Having seen regular accidents taking place along the stretch, he fears it’s only a matter of time before a serious crash happens, if action is not taken.
Resident Peter Coe, whose daughter lives on the road, says taxi drivers even call the street “nightmare alley”.
The 87-year-old said: “Everyone that lives down there has had problems with this, it’s an absolute nightmare and a wonder nobody has been killed.
"People park on the bends and really anywhere they like. It’s a concern my own family could get caught up in it if someone came round too quickly.”
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The residents association has looked at the issue since 2015 and put forward ideas including double yellow lines on dangerous corners, covering a large amount of the avenue.
This is along with permit parking on side roads to stop the problem being pushed elsewhere.
Mr Burton-Sampson, said: “The issue we’ve got is that a lot of the parking is round the back of people’s houses, but a number choose to park on the road instead of round in their parking places.
“There’s also a shortage of parking per household, with some properties built under the old planning rules meaning they didn’t have to provide as much parking as the newer properties.”
A spokesman from Bellway, behind the Bellway Dunton Fields housing complex on School Avenue, said: "Ever since the problems were brought to our attention by the Residents Management company, Bellway has been in constant communication with Essex County Council regarding the introduction of double yellow lines on School Avenue, and has agreed to carry out the work at no cost to either the council or the residents.
“The application to install double yellow lines has had to go through a formal process with Essex County Council, and we are advised that this is to be concluded in the next couple of weeks, allowing the works to go ahead.”
An Essex Highways spokesperson, said: “Any resident who has concerns about the safety of an Essex Highway should voice concerns with their local Essex County Councillor who can raise the matter at the next Local Highways Panel.”
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