COMMUTERS could soon benefit from more than 30 extra parking spaces at Wickford Station.

Plans, which were submitted by Greater Anglia, have requested that an additional 33 parking spaces and two disabled parking spaces be put in place.

If proposals go ahead, this will be on top of the existing six spaces which are currently in place for Network Rail.

This new addition for Wickford station will be built on the site next to Wickford Railway Club near to the Market Road entrance, if plans are approved.

Commuter Ian, 49, said: “This addition will be beneficial for users coming to the station much later on the daily commute. These extra parking spaces at the station are definitely welcome.

“However, we are still without trains most weekends, so there should also be a focus on running train services.”

Councillor Peter Holliman, who represents Wickford North, said: “This development is certainly needed, and I fully support it.

“There’s been a massive increase in the number of commuters who are driving to Wickford station. People from as far as Chelmsford come here because of the great line we have into central London - I think it only takes about 35 minutes to get to Liverpool Street Station.

“This has lead to more and more people parking on residential streets around the station and has resulted in commuter traffic clogging the roads. Residents nearest are particularly suffering, and we’ve had a ridiculous amount of complaints from them, it’s non stop. This should slightly relieve this issue.

“In the past, people have just parked on yellow lines. I’m sure if you tripled the number of spaces they’d immediately all be full.

“Although this is a step in the right direction, we need a multi storey car park there to help cope with the number of cars. It’s a temporary solution.”

Councillor Carole Morris added: “Having any extra parking spaces for the station is a good thing - this has become a very bad issue.

“We’ve had complaints from residents in the past about commuters parking in front of their homes, as there was nowhere else.” She agreed even more spaces are needed.