A ONE-WAY system around Southend’s Priory Park is being considered to ease the town’s traffic crisis, it has been revealed.

The move is one option on the table to alleviate the growing pressure on Priory Crescent, a key east-west route linking the town.

Even resurrecting controversial plans to widen Priory Crescent – which triggered treetop protests in 2005 – have not been ruled out.

Southend Council’s deputy leader, Ron Woodley, stressed nothing was set in stone, but underscored his determination to improve connectivity across the town.

It comes as plans move on for more than 800 homes at the new Fossetts Farm Blues’ stadium, which would increase pressure on the bottleneck around Priory Park.

Mr Woodley repeated his favoured option remains a relief road connecting Warner’s Bridge to Nestuda Way, and on towards the roundabout at Tesco Extra on the A127.

However, he said council officers have been tasked with all options including a one-way system around Priory Park, taking two lanes of traffic eastwards instead of one.

Mr Woodley said: “I want to see what the officer’s report comes up with and I don’t want to speculate about removing trees again but a suggestion is for a massive roundabout at Priory Park.

“It’s an idea so it shouldn’t be discounted. Priory Crescent is two ways, the south side of Priory Crescent is two ways so you could make them one way and, of course, Victoria Avenue is a dual-carriageway so it is feasible.

Mr Woodley added: “Officers have been tasked to make sure highways connectivity is taking shape and I have asked them to look into a Priory Crescent relief road. That is my preferred option.

“We have to make sure residents in the east of the town can get in and out of town in a reasonable time period. The plans will be presented to cabinet.

“That will take up to 18 months and then we would have to get funding from the Government or the Local Enterprise Partnership. It would be a three to five-year plan to make sure people in the east of the town, with the current level of housing, to have a Priory Crescent relief road.

“The homes and or the stadium would have to be under way first because the Government won’t give funding otherwise. Then we can say we’ve built the homes you want, now grant us funding for infrastructure.”

MP Sir David Amess pledged his support for a relief road.

He said: “With a coastal place such as Southend there has always been a challenge as to where traffic should go when it reaches the end of the line. Relief roads have often been mooted as a solution. It is certainly not acceptable building new houses without taking measures to alleviate the increase in traffic.

“We do face considerable traffic congestion in Southend, and it remains to be seen what impact the Kent Elms and Cuckoo Corner roadworks have on the present situation. Of course I would support a bid for government funding if a proper plan is drawn up, with realistic costing and evidence as to its impact on traffic congestion. There should also be public consultation.”

An Eastern relief road for Southend was meant to have been built back in 2011 but the plan faltered after a campaign.