Shoppers will no longer have to dash to their cars as the parking ticket runs out, thanks to a new trial scheme being launched in Southend.

Pay-on-exit parking is to be launched at a car park in Southend town centre in the next few months as a pilot study into the plan.

Businesses in the town centre and the seafront have been seeking the change because they believe trade is being lost as people are worried their parking tickets will run out before they have finished shopping.

The pilot scheme was called for by Anna Waite, Southend Council's ex-leader and carried on by her successor, Murray Foster.

He told the Southend Business and Tourism Partnership: "We will be introducing a pilot scheme in one of the town centre car parks by the end of the current council year in May.

Officers are currently working on the exact details of the scheme."

It was not clear which car park would be used for the pilot.

Council chief executive and town clerk Rob Tinlin added officers had been studying how the proposal could best be introduced.

Roger Fisher, chairman of the Southend Seafront Illuminations and Business Association, said he supported the move.