RESIDENTS fear for their families due to the potentially fatal combination of speeding drivers and badly parked cars on their streets.

People living on Hornby Avenue and Denton Avenue have had enough and are working with councillors to try and find a solution.

Residents were invited to attend a special surgery organised by Southend councillors for St Laurence ward, Steve Buckley, Mark Flewitt and David McGlone to voice their concerns. A community action plan will now be drafted.

William Hill, headteacher at Prince Avenue Academy, is also onboard given the safety risks imposed to his pupils.

Councillor David McGlone, said: “During the last year, speed cameras have been trialled, parking schemes suggested and many more ideas, some of them from the residents themselves, have been looked at but to all of our frustrations, very little has been achieved.

The community action plan would be a programme to increase safety measures such as school signs, amber warning lights, zigzag markings and even the possibility of a no entry at Denton Approaches to stop a rat run.

Mr McGlone added: “It could also include getting other items done such as the overdue play area in Sidmouth Ave and road resurfacing in Cranston Ave. Of course, much of the plan would undoubtedly be evident to the interested parties but it would be a way of prioritising and completing the main concerns by a stage by stage strategy.”

Councillor Mark Flewitt, said: “The residents here are frustrated that their traffic issues have not had the same attention as the bigger highway issues including Kent Elms.

“They need to be heard and Highways need to get real about these issues.

“Another thing is the letters the council send out about traffic acts to residents are just not clear for residents, and are too bureaucratic.

“I have suggested the council use lettering as they would in a ballot to make it clear the residents have the opportunity to object, as many do not know this.

“The residents need to respond to things they are unhappy with and the council need to investigate more.”