Having waded through the Southend Central Action Plan (SCAAP) I am appalled by the proposals. Southend is a seaside resort an image successive councils have tried to suppress, even from before the days of Maplin. Success is not based restricting visitors, trying to make Southend unwelcoming or strangling business. Southend Council has a very poor reputation amongst the public for doing anything right! Encourage visitors and make Southend a 12 month attraction. To achieve this the most obvious is ease of car and coach parking with reasonable parking charges. Hotel chains have committed to coming to Southend. After years of dithering the Council released its unprofitable grip on the Airport to a company with business acumen - Stobart. (A hint there perhaps?)
Reading this it might be thought that there is nothing constructive in it, but I want Southend Borough Council to think very carefully about these proposals. It should be remembers that Southend seafront is an asset that should be maintained as a key attraction. The High Street is struggling (Mainly by restricting parking and high parking charges). Come to think of it that might be the reason the suspicious claim that only 25% of visitors to Southend come by car - they are frightened off and have probably gone to Bluewater or Lakeside.