The race is on to get a land train up and running on Southend seafront for this summer season... but it could be scuppered by a contraflow system put in place in allow for social distancing.

The land train, which would run from Shoebury Common to the arches in Westcliff, was licensed by Southend Council last year and would have been up and running if it hadn’t have been for the coronavirus lockdown.

Now with social distancing being eased, the council has given permission for the land train to carry passengers providing they wear masks - but it faces a final hurdle.

Peter Grubb, owner of Uncle Tom’s café in Shoebury, has been the driving force behind the scheme, liaising with The Land Train Company, which will run the scheme, and the council.

He said: “For it to be viable it has to run all the way to the arches and back but the contraflow that has been put in place means it can’t do that.

“I’m trying to get the council to agree to let the land train go through the contraflow area. It only does 10mph and we could have someone letting it in and out of the barriers. The council’s safety team are looking at it.

“We have got the option to do this in the next three weeks or it will miss this year’s summer season.”

Mr Grubb said when the train does get up and running, it could be extended to go up Palmeira Avenue and cross over the High Street and stop at the taxi rank to pick up more passengers.

Conservative Kevin Buck, who sits on the traffic regulations working party, said: “We got the license for the scheme but now we have the contraflow and we have to manage social distancing but we are still supportive of the idea and have been in discussions to get it up and running for the summer.

“If it hadn’t been for lockdown it would have happened a lot earlier.”

Ron Woodley, deputy leader of the council added: “I absolutely welcome this.

"I’m doing what I can to make it happen.”