INDUSTRIAL workers feel Witham will be 'closed for business' following plans to ban parking on roads.

In May the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) revealed plans to put double yellow lines on junctions at Eastways and Freebournes Industrial Estates in Witham.

As part of their plans, “No waiting at any time” restrictions would be implemented at 13 junctions at Eastways and six junctions at Freebournes Road.

They held a public consultation and have since amended the proposals so two areas of proposed waiting restrictions in Eastways have been removed for additional parking areas.

Pete Dixon, who works for PFE Express at Eastways, said the restrictions will make Witham "closed for business".

He said: "The NEPP has made some concessions in imposing restrictions all over Witham's Industrial estates and beyond but they have still pulled the plug on the livelihoods of many workers and businesses with their zealous attack on car parking.

"Witham's MP always claims to be pro-business but clearly has no idea what this entails and the message from Witham now is -closed for business.

"There is still no response to the queries over where people will park and it's going to be difficult for lorries to deliver.

"They are not dealing with the problems caused for workers and it sends out the wrong message to people trying to run businesses.

"Where I work there is about a dozen people who don't know what they are going to do, as there is nowhere else to park."

Christopher Bailey, head of the parking task force at Witham Town Council, said he agreed with Mr Dixon's claim on how it would affect business.

He said: “He is absolutely right. Half the people in the district do not live in the three main towns and a lot of them can't use public transport to get to the industrial estates.

"They are all dead end roads and there's nowhere to park anywhere near the industrial estates because of other parking restrictions. There is not enough parking anyway to facilitate staff."

A spokesperson for NEPP said: "All objections that were received have been considered.

"An application for parking restrictions on the Witham Industrial Estate was made to the North Essex Parking Partnership, due to local concerns about the parking situation on the estates.

"This application went through the NEPP’s prioritisation process, before being approved for progression by the Joint Committee.

"It is considered that traffic orders are required to keep the road and junctions free of parked vehicles, where any parking is inappropriate and likely to impede the access of large vehicles. Removing parked vehicles at junctions will also improve safety by improving sight-lines."

The operational date will be September 23.