FEARS an upgraded part of the A127 would lead to accidents have been proven right after numerous crashes at the Kent Elms junction.

Critics claimed the merging lane, from three to two, was too short and would cause problems.

After another crash yesterday morning they urged immediate changes to be made and Southend Council is looking into the concerns.

Councillor Stephen Aylen said: “I have no idea why they’re not sorting it out. There’s so many issues down there.

“Nobody can understand why the fast lane merges into the two slow ones.

“It should be the slow lanes merging into each other.

“They previously agreed to get rid of the island by Eastwood road north. This would get rid of the stop start traffic.

“This hasn’t happened yet.

“People are now avoiding the junction as it is so confusing.

“This then clogs up the other residential roads.

“The A127 is meant to be the main road. It’s like a foreign language it’s that complicated.

“It’s becoming increasingly unsafe and dangerous.

Yesterday a car crashed into the barriers at the junction but fortunately the driver avoided serious injury.

It is the latest crash on the road.

David Garston, councillor for Prittlewell ward, added: “It needs to be sorted out as quickly as possibly. There’s been constant teething problems,

“It has to be done professionally.”

Councillor Daniel Cowan added: “I am trying to get to the bottom of whether this is an issue with traffic flow or an issue with impatient drivers.

The junction has been designed to help traffic flow but at the moment it seems to be having a negative effect.

Councillor Ron Woodley, cabinet member for transport, accepted the lane was short and said the council would be looking into the difficulties.

He said: “The concept of lanes merging is well tested in Southend, and now features at our junctions at Progress Road, Cuckoo Corner and the Tesco roundabout.

“The distance in which the lanes merge is shorter at Kent Elms than at other junctions due to the availability of land.

“However, following a number of concerns raised by residents and councillors, I will be arranging a meeting with the director of place to discuss these.”