'ENOUGH is enough' is a cross party view of councillors in South Ockendon who say it is time to seriously address the growing problems of HGV movements in the town and breaches of parking regulations.

South Ockendon is a focal point for many lorry movements and a combination of industrial sites, new housing developments and a landfill site has now stretched the patience of ward councillors who are calling for action rather than words.

Residents have repeatedly spoken of the blight of HGV movements and the problem of inconsiderate parking that blocks roads and lead to increased litter and pollution in the area.

Lorries going to and from the Rural Arisings landfill site off Arisdale Avenue may prove to be the straw that broke the camel's back. The scheme to turn 86 hectares of former landfill into a country park in Belhus may have green credentials – but the number of vehicle movements it has brought to the town and the way traffic rules are being ignored is stretching local tolerance to the limit.

And Thurrock Council has been placed in the firing line as residents says it is failing not only to enforce traffic regulations and turn a blind eye to inconsiderate and illegal parking but has ignored its own commitments to implement weight limits, put up signage and other measures to try and mitigate the impact of lorry movements.

Among the sternest critics is local councillor Angela Lawrence, though she points the finger of blame in the first instance at haulage company owners and renegade drivers.

Cllr Lawrence said: "HGVs were high on my list when I first became a councillor as well as ppoblems caused by companies who offer HGV driving training.

"This problem has not gone away even though ward councillors have continued to report complaints. Officers have tried to stop this happening and still it continues.

"It seems the drivers will stop where ever they can, if they can get away with it.

"Personally I feel the owners of the lorries should be fined when evidence can be produced and I feel sure when it starts hitting them in their pockets they will ensure their drivers will be more considerate.

"In general there does seem to be a need for lorry parks in Thurrock. Lorries and artics should not be driving through narrow built up residential roads, especially when training."

Her Conservative colleague Cllr Andrew Jefferies believes the buck needs to stop with the government which should empower councils with more tools combat the problem. He told Thurrock Nub News: "The problem of HGVs driving through Ockendon is an ongoing issue. I have been lobbying central government to change the law so that local authorities can install and use cameras and then use the pictures to prosecute offending lorries."

Rural Arisings has been defended by Labour councillor Sue Shinnock who says it is unfairly being blamed for the actions of lorry drivers who are supplying the large amount of new homes building on the former Ford factory site.

She says: "I have also been complaining for months with regard to the parking of lorries on Arisdale Road. To be fair, Rural Arising have always come back to me saying it is the lorries parking up to go on the building site that is the problem. I have found Rural Arisings helpful."

But another Conservative, Cllr David Potter is less tolerant of vehicles coming from the reclamation site – though he believes the building site is to blame as well – and he would like more overall scrutiny of things like wheel cleaning for all HGVs in the area.

He said: "I am very much in agreement that Arisdale Avenue is in a messy condition due to muddy trucks. At the last planning committee we rejected an application to build more apartments on Arisdale Avenue (Editor's note – actually the application was deferred and will be debated again). I live extremely close and often get the sides of my car covered in mud."

Independent councillor Chris Baker is another who thinks it is time for action, telling Nub News: "This problem has to be sorted and I would like to say sooner rather than later.

"Problems have been going on for some time but it has got worse since Rural Arisings started."

Labour's Cllr Mike Fletcher completes the chorus of disapproval, saying: "Like Chris, I have been banging on for a while asking council to do something about the HGV problem.

"I've asked them to get 'no waiting' signage up around some of the key areas, including outside Rural Arisings - and to get the weight limit signage in to the west of the roundabout at the bottom of Daiglen Drive so trucks don't have an excuse to drive through to South Road. I and the residents are still waiting.

"The road surface at the top of Araglen Avenue is a moonscape but it's the state of the pavements that winds me up - the kerbs are cracked and the pavements rutted from HGVs parking on them. I get pictures from residents and I send them on, I ask for extra enforcement patrols - and still we have HGVs parked up throughout the day.

"I know we can't stop HGVs using this route through South Ockendon but we could surely do more to stop them ripping up the landscape."