RESIDENTS in a borough village believe an accident is 'waiting to happen' as motorists continue to use it as an alternative to the A13 while widening works are taking place.

The High Road is Horndon on the Hill and other roads that thread through the village have seen a significant increase in traffic since the A13 began in the spring of 2019.

Prior to that villagers had already been lobbying Thurrock Council to implement speed restrictions in the village, without success.

This week villagers took to social media to express their fears with one saying: "With the Primary School, Nursery School, and toddler groups hopefully due to re open soon, i can't help but feel there's a terrible accident imminent due to the speed of the extra traffic down the High Road. ( I know its happening in our other roads too).

"We need either cameras, police with speed guns, or preferably a village 20 mph speed limit."

Those fears were echoed by many residents, with Victoria Road and Gordon Road also highlighted as rat runs, with a resident on Victoria Road saying: "It doesn't feel like a village, it feels like we live on a motorway."

However, there may be some hope. Local forum member Kim Towlson says: "The Forum are working on this as their major village concern and I feel we are further forward with this, with all involved at Thurrock Council, than we have ever been before.

"CCTV and ANPR cameras would have a massive affect on speeding and this is being considered as well."