YET another accident on Buckingham Hill Road today has again highlighted growing concerns about the amount of traffic on the road – particularly heavy trucks which are being blamed for laying down carpets of mud that make the road slippery.

In the latest accident this morning (Wednesday, 13 January) a car was in collision with a truck as it turned out of the busy site operated by reclamation and restoration company Ingrebourne Valley.

No one was image by the car involved sustained damage has blamed inconsiderate driving by the truck driver and the state of the road for the collision.

It is the latest in a number of accidents on a short stretch of the road which have prompted local ward councillors to call on Thurrock Council to do more to make the road safe.

Cllr Fraser Massey from East Tilbury is particularly concerned that sites from which the trucks originate and collect are not operating wheel washing – or are merely playing lip service to it. "It's something we should be checking on and if they are not doing it the sites should be stopped from operating," he says.

The Ingrebourne Valley site is being blamed for contributing to the problem, though it does operate a sweeper service that operates on stretched of Buckingham Hill Road in a bid to minimise danger. However, it does not appear to operate along the whole length of the road, particularly the descent towards the junction with Southend Road which is becoming a notorious danger spot.

Cllr Masey described the road at that point as 'shot to pieces.'

The operators of the Ingrebourne Valley site currently have a planning application in to Thurrock Council to massively expand the operation. It is being widely opposed by local residents.

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