A ROAD widening scheme should be revisited to ease severe congestion on a key route which has seen huge queues for a new Aldi store, a councillor says.

The new supermarket in Priory Crescent, Southend – opposite Priory Park – triggered serious delays last weekend as queues stretched back to the A127.

Back in 2005, a £25 million scheme to widen the road was mooted by the council.

The plan was eventually dropped in 2009, after campaigners set up “Camp Bling”

in Priory Park protesting against any reduction of the green space and protection of the Saxon Prince’s remains found nearby.

However, with new homes, the new Fair Havens Hospice, the Saxon King pub and Aldi store, Prittlewell ward councillor Kevin Buck said now was an “appropriate time” to revisit the idea of widening the road.

Mr Buck, Tory spokesman for transport, said: “In relation to revisiting widening Priory Crescent, I do not have an opinion on whether it should be allowed but I think it would be an appropriate time to revisit it.

“Increases in traffic, we now have got the Saxon King pub, the Aldi and Havens Hospices in the immediate vicinity.

“I certainly think it’s an appropriate time to revisit it.”

Ron Woodley, deputy leader of Southend Council, said: “I think the highways officers are aware that we do have some of these pinch points and we are looking at what we can do.

“That’s not just at Priory Crescent, that’s Victoria Avenue and Fairfax Drive, and East Street and West Street.”

Mr Woodley said he was “hopeful” of an inner ring road being created when the Southend United stadium and new homes are built at Fossetts Farm.

He added: “There are other things to look at, when they have decided what can be done they will come back to me.”