PERMIT parking could be extended along a whole road to stop penny-pinching workers, shoppers and residents causing misery for residents.

People in Long Riding, Basildon, say they are fed up with constant battles for parking spaces outside their homes.

Half of the road, which is closer to the town centre, already has permit parking.

Councillors and residents are campaigning for the scheme to be rolled out along the whole road.

The South Essex Parking Partnership, which took over parking enforcement in the county in April 2011, previously said it did not have enough money.

But in a U-turn yesterday, bosses said they will investigate the issue in Long Riding.

A final decision is still to be made.

Alan Richards, 50, and wife Sue, 48, live in the first house outside the permit zone, which ends between the junctions of Priors East and Nether Priors.

They claim neighbours wanting to avoid the £26 annual cost of a permit park outside their house for free.

Mr Richards said: “We have lived in Long Riding for 25 years, but the problem has got steadily worse. The parking situation now is an absolute nightmare.

“People tend to move into the flats next to us for a short time, so clearly they are not going to want to buy a permit, but all it does is force them up the road.

“We have a communal parking area which holds eight cars at the front of our house, but we can never get in there.

“We struggle to find a space which is reasonably close to our house, but outside the permit zone. I had given up hope anything would be done.”

Neighbours claim town centre workers and shoppers also park in Long Riding to avoid car park charges.

A spokesman for the parking partnership said: “This is a restriction that was implemented prior to the partnership being formed.

“All permit parking in Basildon is being reviewed.

“However, no decision has yet been made regarding this area.”