RESIDENTS have been accused of selling visitor parking permits for profit, leading Southend Council to cut the numbers available.

Southend Council has reduced the number per year from 240 to 100 following claims they are being offered out for cheap parking.

However, the change in policy has caused social isolation for Del Rudd who struggles to get out due to kidney failure and could now struggle to get visitors.

Del Rudd, 64, and his wife Lindsay, 56, live on the permit only Beresford Road in Southend.

They buy books of 20 visitor parking permits at £5 from the Civic Centre, in Southend, and were entitled to purchase three books at a time, which the couple says they usually replace every two months.

However, when Mr and Mrs Rudd realised they only had three tickets left and would be expecting visitors the following day for Del’s birthday, they headed to the Civic Centre to purchase another book, only to be told they weren’t able to purchase any more until April 2019.

What they did not know was the council had cut the number of visitor permits from 240 to 100.

“Shocked and appalled”, that they hadn’t been informed of the change, the couple were advised to make a complaint online.

Del said: “We already suffer being near the seafront and now we are being penalised even further because it’s affecting our family and social life.

“My children and grandchildren come at least once a week, I have a circle of friends and extended family who visit.

“I have serious health issues, I have a blue badge but I’m not all that mobile - one of my friends comes to visit every Saturday.

“It is an infringement on our personal and private lives, I don’t even know if it’s allowed.

Lindsay added: “I’m just appalled by the whole thing, it’s absolutely shocking.

“Del is on dialysis for kidney problems so doesn’t go out that much.

“What they are doing is restricting visitors to him.

“The street two roads away can do what they like, park where they like and have as many visitors as they like, whereas we have to pay for our visitors to park, and for the privilege of parking outside our house, but now the council are doing this.”

A spokesman for Southend Council explained: “As part of the budget process for this year, the numbers of vouchers were reduced to maximum of 100 per property per year.

“This is a temporary measure to try to address abuse with some residents selling vouchers to local workers or visitors.

“In some areas, the levels of regular non-resident parking still occurring was negating any benefit of the parking scheme.

“While the majority of cases where vouchers are being abused are identified and reported to us by residents, the introduction of electronic vouchers in future will allow for potential abuse to be easily identified and addressed.

“The number of vouchers available may then be increased.”