Petition urges 'rip off' seafront parking U-turn

Southend-on-Sea City Council has received a petition urging it to stop "rip off seaside parking charges"

Hundreds of people have signed a petition urging a council to stop "rip off seaside parking charges".

The petition was signed by 584 people, according to a Southend-on-Sea City Council meeting agenda.

The signatories were calling on the authority to make a U-turn on a decision to extend the chargeable times for parking along the city's seafront and in most nearby council-run car parks.

A report said the council had received no comments during a public consultation regarding the changes, which were implemented on 22 April.

The amended hours were approved at a budget setting meeting in February, the report added.

Parking charges in what the council designates "zone 1a" are in place between 08:00 and 21:00.

The only exceptions are at car parks at the Cliffs Pavilion theatre and in Shorefield Road, which retained the previous chargeable hours of 08:00 to 18:00.

The petition will be discussed at a meeting on Thursday, but it is likely no action will be taken to ensure the council's budget remains balanced.