FRUSTRATED residents have launched a campaign to create a one-way system in their street.

People living in Madeira Avenue, Leigh, are sick and tired of inconsiderate motorists blocking their driveways and creating gridlock in the road.

Many blame a Co-op store at the southern end of the street, next to the junction with London Road, for attracting the extra traffic.

Garry Steel, who has lived in the road since 1994, has organised a petition to make the point to council chiefs.

He said: “The shop on the corner creates havoc in the street. Drivers will come past, see the Co-operative and decide they want to get some bread or milk.

“They’ll pull into Madeira Avenue and just park somewhere because they think they’re only stopping for a few minutes.

“But quite often they’ll park across someone’s drive. Then they’ll try to turn around and block the street. If the emergency services tried to get down here at those times, they couldn’t.”

Mr Steel estimated up to 50 neighbours in the street had already signed his petition since he started asking for signatures on Friday.

He added: “We haven’t explored the details of how the one-way system would work.

“I think that would be something best left to the council’s highways department to explore. We are just asking for the principle to be approved.”

Mr Steel and his neighbours have the support of ward councillor and Liberal Democrat group leader, Graham Longley.

Mr Longley said he would hand the petition to Tony Cox, the Conservative councillor responsible for highways, at the next Southend Council meeting in October.

The move would trigger an automatic debate on the issue at cabinet.

Mr Longley said: “Residents have my support and I have asked the highways department to have a look at it.”

Mr Cox added: “I am pleased residents are taking an interest in where they live.

“I look forward to receiving their petition.”

A Co-op spokesman would not comment on the issue.