Campaigners have won a partial victory in their battle to park cars outside their homes.

Councillors have agreed to investigate new measures which could allow residents of Hainault Avenue, Westcliff, to park on both sides of the street.

The move was the latest twist in a saga that emerged last year when it was discovered that a typing error meant traffic wardens had no legal right to hand out parking tickets along 500m of double yellow lines on the street.

A traffic regulation order - which allows the wardens to enforce the restrictions - was later passed, provoking anger from residents.

A lobbying campaign led by Tory councillor Roger Weaver was then waged, calling on the council to widen the road, allowing cars to park on both sides of the street.

Last night, the borough's planning and transportation committee finally agreed to spearhead a feasibility study, looking at options to permit parking on both sides of the road.

One blueprint could be to widen both Hainault Avenue and neighbouring Glenwood Avenue by repositioning kerbstones to produce the necessary increase in width.

At the moment, the street is not wide enough to take cars parked on both sides of the road - hence the reason why double yellow lines have been painted on the western side.

Councillor Mary Lubel (Lib Dem, Westborough) welcomed the new plans.

She said: "Residents in this are have had a hard time. First, they found out that the traffic regulation order was a dog's dinner and then various parties promised various things and probably raised expectations unduly.

"Now, it looks as if the problem will be tackled through the processes of this committee."

Councillor Reg Copley (Lab, St Luke's) added: "The door is being eased open for resolution of some of the residents' difficulties."

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