THURROCK Council has issued 'final warnings' to companies who persistently breach traffic regulations and allow HGVs to drive down a residential road.

It is a problem that has blighted the lives of residents in Wharf Road, Stanford-le-Hope for many years but the council has stopped short of taking offenders to court - yet!

The vehicles enter and leave Stanhope Industrial estate via Wharf Road but should not do so outside the permitted hours of 7am to 7pm.

The council said it would start to get tough last December but, six months on, despite identifying offenders it is giving them another chance.

A council statement says: "Despite notices being served in December last year, continued out-of-hours movements of vehicles leaving and heading towards an occupier on Stanhope Industrial Estate in Wharf Road have sparked further complaints from residents living nearby."

Cllr Rob Gledhill, Leader of Thurrock Council, said: "We will not tolerate this public nuisance by drivers and the companies that they work for. It is simply not acceptable for residents to be disturbed by these vehicles outside permitted hours. We have issued statutory notices against the site occupier and are now pursing all options to enforce planning control.

"Any out-of-hours activity that is reported to us at the Stanhope Estate is followed up, particularly if an occupier has already been warned their actions are unacceptable. We will always take unauthorised HGV and lorry movements very seriously."

To report out-of-hours HGV and lorry movements, click click here.