Rochford District Council has launched a pilot scheme to switch off lights early at Websters Way car park in a bid to combat antisocial behaviour.

Councillor responsible for the community, Mike Webb, said: “Antisocial behaviour and reckless driving in and around the car park will not be tolerated.

“This car park is being monitored and should drivers continue to cause a nuisance, they could be issued with formal notices. Drivers who ignore these warnings, can be fined, prosecuted or have their vehicle seized.

He added: “We apologise for the inconvenience to legitimate car park users that this decision will have and hope you will understand why we are trialling this action.”

Councillor Cheryl Roe, from the Trinity ward, and chairman of Rayleigh Town Council’s environment committee, was one of the councillors who spearheaded the initiative.

She said: “We are very concerned about the antisocial behaviour in the area. We receive a lot of complaints from residents about it.”

Ms Roe and councillor Dave Sperring, also from the Trinity ward, organised a meeting with Essex Police last week to tackle the growing number of complaints about antisocial behaviour, which has risen by 2 per cent in the last year.

She added: “We are working together to address the situation. There were suggestions to close the car park but that is not the answer as a lot of people need to use the car park.”

Ms Roe added the move was not to deter social gatherings in the car park but it is to address the dangerous behaviour of some people.

She said: “We don’t need the antisocial behaviour. I’ve had a woman call me saying she can’t sleep at night because of all the noise and she also has a son living with a disability.

“This initiative is designed to be a positive step towards preventing antisocial behaviour.”