BENFLEET is the most ticketed area in Castle Point, figures reveal.

Streets near Benfleet station and High Road feature prominently in the list of the ten most ticketed roads in Castle Point.

Parking restrictions are designed to prevent commuters filling residential streets, but shoppers have also found themselves being penalised by wardens.

Parking in streets near the station is governed by a combination of double and single yellow lines which ban cars for an hour each day.

But Dave Cross, borough councillor for St Mary’s ward, believes many visitors are unaware of the regulations.

He said: “The restrictions are for just one hour of the day and are there to stop people leaving their cars and using the station to go to London.

“They are not there to catch out shopkeepers and customers from our High Road.

“The High Road is getting busier and that’s fantastic, but people need to be made better aware of the restrictions.

“My fellow ward councillors and I have drafted a letter for traders along that part of the High Road outlining the parking restrictions and including a map so they can let their employees and customers know where it is best to park.”

Echo:

Norman Smith, councillor for Boyce ward, believes the strong approach of wardens will stop problem parking on residential streets. He said: “Our parking enforcement people are there quite a lot, so people will be getting tickets.

“That is probably stopping the problem. If people are being issued with tickets, it will probably only be once, because it will serve as a deterrent.”

Figures for 2014/15 revealed the South Essex Parking Partnership issues an average of seven tickets each day in Castle Point.

Although the partnership made an operating profit across the region for the year, it recorded a loss of £11,000 in Castle Point, blaming staff shortages and the cost of recruiting agency staff for the losses.