OUTRAGED Canvey residents have slammed a “lack of action” over plans for a vital third road off the island to ease traffic woes.

Plans to build a third road between Canvey and Benfleet have been a long-held ambition and Castle Point Council leader Dave Blackwell claimed last year the council was pushing for funding through the Association of South Essex Local Authorities.

However, in emails seen by the Echo, it has been revealed that the partnership, now known as the South Essex Councils Group, have not been approached for funding on a third road since June 2022.

However, Mr Blackwell has promised he will do his utmost to progress the plans if he is re-elected in May, using some of the £20million given to Canvey by the Government to draw up a business case.

Frustrated residents have criticised a lack of action over the last two years and lambasted the move to disband the “Canvey third road task force” when the independent coalition came into power in May 2022.

Cliff Larkin, who created the “Canvey needs a Third Road” Facebook page, said: “I don’t care about the politics, I just want the councillors to do their job, restart the taskforce and get a plan together.

“Last year councillors from the Canvey Island Independent Party and The People’s Independent Party on the mainland publicly pledged to bring back the task force and then went back on their word.

“They said they would pursue it through the South Essex Council group instead and they haven’t done that either.”

Canvey resident John Stone fears time has been wasted to get the project off the ground. He added: “Although they wouldn’t have got the third road built by now if they started work on it two years ago, it would be good to know progress is being made on the third road and the last phase of Roscommon Way so at least there is an end in sight to some of the island’s traffic problems.”

Mr Blackwell said: “The Tories were in control for 20 years. What did they do for Canvey when it came to third road?

“If I am still leader after May I will do my upmost to move this forward and with the £20million from Government some of this money might be able to be used for a business case for a third road but at last estimate it was about £4million to do a business case and survey.”