OWNERS of illegally parked cars that block access to refuse vehicles causing waste and recycling collections to be missed are to be named and shamed.

Thurrock Council has announced that from tomorrow cars that prevent collections will have a letter placed on them explaining the problem they are causing. Neighbours will also receive a letter with the cars registration number on explaining why a collection couldn’t be made.

Cllr Victoria Holloway, in charge of environment, said: “In some roads collections are missed on a weekly basis because of people parking their cars in such a way that block access to the bins or the road itself.

“The time has come to do something about it.”

She added: “Parked cars have prevented refuse vehicles gaining access in the same areas over and over again.

“If access is blocked, we come back later the same day to try again, but problems with parked cars on a number of streets have prevented a collection on a number of occasions.

Cllr Holloway said it’s the same cars each week that cause the problem preventing collectors from being able to do their job.

She warned: “Ultimately we can remove a car that is causing an obstruction on the highway - and make no mistake that’s exactly what we will do if we have to, we are warning residents that this it is going to happen and we mean it.”