“CONFUSING and misleading” parking signs have sparked fears that drivers could be hit with fines unfairly.

Stuart Herd, from Leigh, has demanded action over signs on Westcliff Parade, fearing drivers may be caught out by conflicting parking notices.

Signs for the council’s parking permit scheme are close to the ticket machine for the pay and display bays.

As a result, Mr Herd, 70, worries that had he not double checked, he could have ended up with a fine.

Southend Council has said it will look into the positioning of signs.

Mr Herd said: “I went down to Southend on Friday first thing in the morning, around 8.30am.

“I arrived at the pier end of Westcliff Parade to find two conflicting signs.

“One sign implied you could park on the sea side of the road before 11am without charge or permit, whereas the ticket machine stated you had to pay between 8am and 6pm.

“I sent something to the council and they clarified all pay and display bays are chargeable from 8am-6pm, and that they had passed the conflicting signage issue to the contractor to action.”

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When visiting the area on Tuesday, Mr Herd said the signs had indeed been changed, but that they were still confusing and inaccurate.

He added: “According to the new sign it says resident permit holders only between 11am-9pm with no mention of pay and display parking at all. Whereas the machine still says pay and display parking between 8am-6pm.

“If I hadn’t have taken the trouble to check the machine I wouldn’t have known and ended up with a ticket.

“Is it really that difficult to get this right?”

Ron Woodley, councillor for transport, asset management and inward investment, said: “In this location we have a resident permit area close to general pay and display bays.

“The resident permit area is currently enforceable from 11am to 9pm, and pay and display bays are enforceable from 8am to 6pm. Our contractors are looking at the positioning of the signage in this area.”