BUS passengers have been left scratching their heads after a new shelter was put up...directly behind some old metal railings.

This means passengers must leave the shelter from the back and walk around the front of the structure to hop on their bus.

Neighbours watched in amusement as the new shelter was put up outside St Thomas More High School, in Kenilworth Gardens, Westcliff.

Dave Cockerton, 46, who lives in the road, said: “I asked the workmen why they were putting it there and they just said it was where they had been told to put it.

“If the bus pulls up right in front of the shelter, you can’t get on it as the railings are in the way.

“It makes me wonder how much this is costing the taxpayer? The original shelter was taken out and a smaller one put up. Then that was taken away and now we have this. You have to use the path behind the shelter to get out, but it is only about 3ft wide and if you have shopping it’s a bit of a struggle.”

Mehmet Mazhar, Southend Council’s group manager for traffic and highways, said: “We will adjust the railings as soon as possible to ensure unobstructed access.

“We apologise for the temporary inconvenience as a result of our enhancement works, which are due to be completed by the end of April.”