Traffic jams in Castle Point could soon be a thing of the past after county hall vowed to look at ways to beat the borough's road congestion.

Essex County Council's highways and transportation committee is to carry out feasibility studies.

Canvey county councillors are delighted at the decision after spending many years complaining to Essex County Council about the lack of money spent on the borough's roads.

Dennis Williams, Canvey councillor on Castle Point Council and Essex County Council, is delighted.

He said: "County councillors, including Ray Howard and Alf Goldsworthy, and Castle Point councillors have been working hard to get investment for Castle Point's roads.

"Previously all the money seems to have gone to the north of the county. But Castle Point - Canvey in particular - has limited access routes."

Possible schemes include:

Priority access routes for buses travelling from the east of Canvey to Benfleet

Looking at ways to ease congestion on the A13 between Sadlers Farm and Tarpots

Replacing the traffic lights at the junction of Haven Road and Long Road on Canvey with a roundabout

Reviewing the way Waterside Farm roundabout operates to improve traffic flow.

Mr Williams said the county council had already shown commitment by investing £500,0000 on the slip road at Sadlers Farm for traffic coming off Canvey. He is also pleased that plans for the new Roscommon Way road on Canvey were moving forward.

Finance for the traffic probes will come from the county council's transportation studies budget, but the local transport plan would fund projects.

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