WARD councillors in East Tilbury are urging residents in the area and other people across the borough to lodge a protest against plans to charge for parking at Coalhouse Fort.

While the plan to install meters at the site is well advanced, Thurrock Council still has to complete a consultation process and Cllrs Fraser Massey and Sue Sammons believe it is a final opportunity to get the authority to change its view on the situation.

A traffic regulation order has now been posted outlining the council's plans, which also relate to introducing pay and display parking at South Ockendon Recreation Park.

It can be read in full via this link.

Opposition to the plans has to be made in writing, giving the grounds on which it is made and sent to the following address Parking Team, Civic Offices, New Road, Grays, RM17 6SL

Or sent via email to [email protected] to arrive on or before Saturday, 1 October.

Conservative Cllr Sammons, who is fighting the scheme proposed by her party colleagues – and championed by Stanford Cllr Shane Ralph, who formerly sat on the now disbanded Coalhouse Fort Project as the council's representative - has renewed her call for people to object.

Cllr Ralph is an advocate for the plan, saying the money will be used to pay for CCTV at the site and spent on car park maintenance. He said: "It's not about making money, it's about improving the area for residents and visitors."

That cuts little ice with Cllr Sammons. Urging residents to make their point in response to the Traffic regulation order, she says: "Only 69 objections to parking at Coalhouse so far re charged and consultation closes at 9pm at the end of the month."

Thurrock Council promotes free parking as areason to visit Coalhouse Fort.

Ironically, on its own website the council promotes the free parking at Coalhouse as one of the site's major assets!

The council plans to charge for parking at Coalhouse Fort from 7am to 6pm during October to March and 7am to 10pm between April and September.

• The charges will be up to 1 hour – £1
• up to 2 hours – £1.50
• up to 4 hours – £2.50·       
• up to 6 hours – £4
• over 6 hours – £6.50

Residents in East Tilbury village believe the charges will prompt people not to use the car park but instead park on roads in an already congested area causing access problems and increasing the danger of accidents.

The plan for South Ockendon is to make the Recreation Ground car park pay and display Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Originally it was intended to be a seven day a week charge, but opposition from local users of the sports facilities forced a change of mind and the charges are being introduced in the week to deter commuters using the nearby station from parking there.