A NEW relief road has been touted to cope with an anticipated influx of traffic at Southend United’s new stadium and hundreds of homes around it.

Ron Woodley, deputy leader of Southend Council, said the “whole transport policy” of the borough would need a rethink if proposals for 800 homes go through at Fossetts Farm.

He spoke as Southend Council prepared to meet on Tuesday to discuss aspects of Southend United’s move to Fossetts Farm.

Mr Woodley said the new road could connect from Warner’s Bridge to Nestuda Way, and then to the roundabout at Tesco Extra on the A127.

He said it would act as “a three-stage” road from Warner’s Bridge to Nestuda Way and then the Tesco roundabout.

The council announced earlier this year it would be entering into an agreement with Blues and investor Citizen Housing to deliver more than 1,300 new homes as part of the club’s move from Roots Hall to Fossetts Farm.

The homes will be divided, with 502 being built at Roots Hall following the demolition of the existing stadium and a further 800 being built around the new Fossetts Farm stadium.

Mr Woodley said any relief road plans would be separate to the application for the homes, and that the authority would seek Government funding.

He stressed it is crucial to protect Southend’s roads from added congestion.

He said: “With the amount of homes that are planned and the football stadium, we need to make sure it won’t overburden Priory Crescent. We know from recent reports that Priory Crescent has major problems at times.”

He said consideration also had to be given to any housing plans in the Rochford district.

He added: “If they build, we have to cope with an influx of traffic. We need to work together on how we can put that relief road through.

Mr Woodley said the mission would be to ease the flow of traffic from east to west, adding: “At the moment we do have a road that goes from Royal Artillery Way to the back of Fossetts to Eastern Avenue.”

Mr Woodley said that other transport measures would need to be factored in.

He said: “We have got to make sure we have an integrated transport network, for example small buses where people jump on and jump off.

“We have got to rethink the whole transport policy.”

He added: “There are great opportunities and there are more homes for Southend people to live in.”

Southend Council’s cabinet is set to discuss the latest plans on Tuesday next week.

A report, not yet published, will be presented by Southend Council finance bosses.