FORTY-eight hours after issuing a plan to shut a major Thurrock road to facilitate the reopening of Linford Household Waste and Recycling Centre, Thurrock Council has announced a change in its plans following pressure from residents and local councillors.

On Wednesday the council announced the tip would be opening on Monday, 18 May, but it would require the closure of Buckingham Hill Road to ensure safe access to and from the tip.

That prompted concern from the public that by closing the busy road, the council was diverting a large number of HGVs onto other roads and into residential areas.

Today (Friday, 15 May) council officers were on the end of a stinging attack from Chadwell St Mary Cllr Gerard Rice who questionned their knowledge of the area and lambasted them for showing contempt for local people and local councillors.

Thurrock Nub News has had sight of a strongly-worded email to council Chief executive Lyn Carpenter asking her 'if she is on drugs?' He demanded that the council's plans be changed.

East Tilbury Cllr Fraser Massey also questioned the council's decision-making – if in a slightly more tactful manner! Between the two approaches, more concern expressed by residents and a report on Thurrock Nub news, change has come about.

While not announcing a complete U-turn on its plans, this evening the council said it has made significant alterations and the road will remain open - at least in one direction.

A statement from the council says: "Planned closures of Buckingham Hill Road, Linford, have been updated in favour of a temporary one way system which will allow traffic to be safely managed at the tip and ensure that local traffic can flow more freely in the area."

"We have listened to feedback" – Cllr Rob Gledhill

Leader of Thurrock Council, Cllr Rob Gledhill, said: "In response to residents' requests, the council wanted to re-open Linford Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) - the Tip - as soon as practically possible for the benefit of Thurrock and have been working hard for a number of days to do so safely for all.

"We needed to ensure strict social distancing measures are in place when using the HWRC, this created a risk that traffic queuing to get into the site could cause a road hazard. We have therefore introduced measures to manage traffic safely which has been a difficult balancing act.

"We have listened to feedback and believe that rather than a full road closure, as was originally planned, the introduction of this one way system will allow us to manage traffic safely for tip users while also allowing us to minimise the overall impact on traffic in the local area."

Cllr Massey said: "I raised my concerns about the proposed road closures with officers and was pleased to see that they acted swiftly to create this alternative plan. I believe this is a good compromise and a better way to help ensure traffic safety and not create unnecessary congestion for residents. This is a positive outcome when members and officers work together for a common goal."

To help ensure traffic can be managed safely when the site reopens, a temporary one way system will be implemented from Monday 18 May between the hours of 7.30am and 5.30pm. During this time traffic will only be able to travel northbound on Buckingham Hill Road – from Linford towards Stanford Road – and southbound on Butts Lane and Walton's Hall Road.

This means that traffic from Buckingham Hill Road will be able to join Stanford Road but that there will be no access from Stanford Road to Buckingham Hill Road, instead all traffic wishing to go southbound will be directed along Butts Lane and Walton's Hall Road.

Any vehicles coming out of the HWRC must turn left to continue heading northbound on Buckingham Hill Road. The temporary one way route will be clearly signposted.

The council says traffic will be monitored and these measures will be lifted as soon as they are no longer necessary.