RESIDENTS living close to Southend Hospital have set up a pressure group to tackle the problem of dangerous and obstructive parking in their roads.

Neighbours are fed-up with patients, visitors and staff parking in residential streets surrounding the hospital.

They have created the Southend Hospital Area Residents’ Association to try to solve the problem.

Streets which are affected include, Carlton Avenue, Prittlewell Chase, Cardigan Avenue, Carlingford Drive, Hobleythick Lane, Rochester Drive and Colman’s Avenue.

Tony Lopez, chairman of the association, said: “Residents are experiencing illegal, obstructive and dangerous parking and neither the local authorities, nor the police have so far provided a solution.

“The position is made worse by staff from the Royal Bank of Scotland parking next to the Tesco superstore in Prince Avenue.

“We are also concerned of 904 car parking spaces being created at the back of the hospital, 60 per cent of them are to be allocated to staff.

“Visitors will continue to have the same difficulties in finding parking spaces.

“There are about 3,600 employees at the hospital and with the additional 904 spaces the total car parking capacity will only rise to 1,650.

“This will make it a lottery for visitors to the hospital, causing them to continue to park around the streets.”

A public meeting is being held to discuss the issues on Saturday, February 28, at 9.30am, in the lecture theatre in the education centre at Southend Hospital.

Representatives from the police, hospital, council officials and councillors have all been invited.

Ric Morgan, ward councillor for Prittlewell and an association member, said: “We would like to hear from anybody who is affected by this parking.

“We can then agree as to what is the best way forward, be it controlled parking, traffic calming, speed limits or other measures.”

The residents’ group can be contacted by e-mail at ynot61@hotmail.co.uk or contact association vice chairman, Brian Burton, at briannita31@hotmail.com