Southchurch park East car park ‘will be free for town’s drivers’

Southend Council is planning to create 180 marked spaces at Southchurch Park East.

Campaigners fear the car park – used by parents of a nearby school – would be operated by pay-and-display, prompting a petition with 500 signatures.

However, Ron Woodley, deputy leader of Southend Council, says no Southend resident will have to pay to park their car in the new car park.

He added it would be ideal for parents dropping off and picking up their children at the nearby Greenways Primary School.

Mr Woodley said: “There will be ANPR cameras that will look at the number plates as residents enter the car park.

“If the car is registered locally to Southend, there will not be a charge.

“I am trying to get parents to use the car park when dropping off children and there will be lighting, there will be CCTV, everything that we can do to make the car park safe for people to park.

“The only people who will pay will be those who live outside of the town.”

He also said improvements will be made to a path leading from the car park to the primary school.

More than 500 people had already signed a petition on Friday night, which outlines why the car park in the popular park must not expand.

Jo Bates, who published the petition, said: “We need to stand together and stop this intended expansion.

“This park includes playing fields that so many people enjoy in the summer.”

Ms Bates added: “There is a new car park already on the seafront that was the gas works not that far from the park that will house enough people, including the coaches and cars of those who descend into Southend in the summer.

“Southend is already full of pay and display car parks and roads.”

Mr Woodley said earlier he hoped the plan would encourage shoppers.

However, Ms Bates added: “This will not encourage residents to use the park.

“It’s not close enough to encourage people into the high street. The fact its full of closed shops will be the biggest deterrent.”