RESIDENTS say they are disappointed a second consultation on parking restrictions near Chalkwell Station won’t take place.

Chalkwell Parking Group hoped Southend Council would launch a new consultation with residents and businesses to find a solution to what it says are major commuter parking problems.

The group had suggested a universal scheme to allow unlimited parking except for one hour in the morning, when a resident’s permit would be required, to stop those leaving cars for the day to travel up to London.

But the idea was rejected by councillors after a poor response from residents to an original questionnaire about the scheme.

Claire Heritage, of High Cliff Drive, said: “We’re so exasperated at the council, I’m thinking of standing as an independent councillor in the next election.

“It was more of a tick-box exercise for them than anything else. They knocked on every other house on a horrible wintry day, and if no one was in they posted it through their door.

“The form looked like junk mail and if a household didn’t respond they were counted as a ‘no’.

“The problem is they only resolve parking issues in little pockets and it pushes the problem further out. They should look at the area as a whole and create a plan to cover everyone.”

At last week’s meeting of the council’s traffic and parking working party it was decided a review of parking restrictions on 25 roads on the Chalkwell Hall estate would not happen.

Residents who have yellow lines outside their homes had expressed concerned they might be taken away.

Chalkwell councillor Richard Brown told the meeting: “My time has been spent talking to people about the parking problems they would experience if the yellow lines were removed in these areas. I think it will open a can of worms they won’t be able to put the lid back on.”

When councillors voted to end the discussions, a member of the public stood up to object.

She said: “I’m sorry to speak out of turn, but we cannot let this go. It’s disgraceful, you have to see the bigger picture. It’s a problem for us, and it’s not fair.”

Mrs Heritage said: “What we’re trying to get across is that we want a level playing scheme.

“We want to see our one hour permit parking scheme in the area because we think it would really work and we can’t understand why the council doesn’t think it’s worth considering.

“They don’t seem to feel any empathy for our cause. It is exasperating when you can’t park anywhere near your house and you have all your shopping with you.”