A RESIDENT was forced to miss work after “selfish” drivers blocked their driveway in an area being considered for a parking revamp.

St Vincent’s Road residents says Southend Council’s plans to extend the Milton Ward resident-only parking zone, currently in consultation, are a much-needed and long-awaited change.

Last week, teachers at nearby St Bernard’s High School, raised fears the extension of parking restrictions into Avenue Terrace, St Vincent’s Road, Canewdon Road, and St Helens Road among other roads, would raise their living costs and saddle staff with long walks to and from their vehicles.

However, a residents’ association has hit back at staff and say the needs of the 2,000 residents in the consultation area must come before school staff.

One resident in St Vincent’s Road, Westcliff, says they missed out on three days of work last year after their drive was blocked by “selfish drivers desperate to park for free, regardless of the consequences for others”.

“We have got so many non-residents that don’t want to pay for parking, so they go in the residential streets to save money, and I understand why people do it, but it’s causing so many issues for residents," a spokesperson for the St Vincent's Road Residents Association said.

“People are so desperate to park for free they are blocking drives and parking irresponsibly; it’s dog eat dog.

They added: “The residents’ group is sympathetic towards the teachers, but the way we see it, is the 2,00 residents in the area must be prioritised over the 30 or so staff that work at the school. This is to benefit the people who have to deal with this every single day.”

The plans have yet to be confirmed by the council which closed a public consultation on the proposals last Friday.

Councillor Ron Woodley, cabinet member for transport, asset management and inward investment, last week confirmed a decision would not be made until the results of the consultation had been considered.

He added: “This latest consultation follows on from an informal consultation held last year, which shows respondents to be in favour of designating the areas as resident permit zones.”