SOUTHEND Council will not reverse a decision to introduce evening parking charges on the seafront despite hundreds of people signing a petition.

Southend Council’s traffic regulation working party and cabinet committee met on Thursday to discuss the petition protesting against the reintroduction of 6pm to 9pm parking charges on Southend seafront – hours which were previously free.

The petition had gained 584 signatures while seafront traders had been critical of the move.

Daniel Cowan, leader of the council, ruled out reversing the charge, saying it had been agreed at full council and a decision by the previous Conservative administration to stop the charge had cost the council £750,000.

Mr Cowan said: “We absolutely welcome every single visitor. We want them to come and to keep coming back.

“However, the cost of cleaning up after them, the cost of emptying the bins on the seafront, the cost of fixing the payments where they’ve not parked properly, fixing the roads because of the additional traffic, having civil enforcement and community safety officers keeping the streets lights on, making Southend attractive for them with things like incredible events at the end of the pier and the fireworks, all of these things cost money.”

Mr Cowan said the Southend ass gave residents a chance to park free of charge for three hours on the seafront and elsewhere in the city.

But Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor for Prittlewell Ward, said the increased charge would deter visitors.

He said: “A chargeable asset that remains empty generates no income. This is what you are going to see. We’re not seeing it immediately because people are not realising that the charge is back in. Many visitors have come and been surprised by the charges.

“I think we all know the real reason why these charges were brought in. One was to force people to buy the Southend pass and the other was to penalise the seafront business with punitive charges and force them to close. It’s working. Some businesses are closing early, some not in winter and some won’t reopen.”

Philip Miller, owner of Adventure Island, said: “Well, it is good of Cowan to ignore the Seaside Partnership petition, considering it was just local folks who signed.

“It was also quite a palaver to actually fill in the council form. They obviously do not encourage any discontent amongst the masses! We believe it is a personal vendetta waged against the seafront because we have the temerity to stand up for ourselves.”