HOPES have been raised that traffic in Halstead will improve after new parking restrictions have been introduced along a main road.

Areas of the town that have on-road parking have seen huge traffic build-ups, due to the increasing number of vehicles and large lorries passing through daily.

Over several years, residents have raised concerns with the council due to severe traffic congestion along Trinity Street, requesting measures be taken to ease the issue.

Now, a single yellow line has been painted along the main road beside the public gardens, aiming to reduce traffic build-up.

Halstead residents are hopeful the new parking restrictions will keep traffic moving through the town.

Willow Park estate resident, Molly Hawkins, 22, said: “I’ve lived in Halstead forever but I’ve been learning to drive for a while now and I always dread heading towards Braintree at rush hour.

“I travel there a lot for appointments and the size of the lorries and the amount of cars that trail up Mount Hill at 5 o’clock on a weekday is just silly.

“I haven’t used the road much since the line was painted, but I really do hope it will help bring the traffic down a bit – Halstead wasn’t made for so many cars.”

Kris Fraser, 38, lives in Neale Road and uses Trinity Street "almost every day to get to work".

The Stansted Airport worker said: "It’s always been a nightmare.”

“I moved to Halstead three or four years ago now and it’s never been any different, too many cars on the road – parked and driving.

“I have noticed an improvement in traffic since the new parking restrictions, I just hope it continues that way.”

A spokesman for Halstead Town Council said: "After many years of requests for parking restrictions to be imposed in Trinity Street the project has at last been completed.

“The new single yellow line restricts parking during the day, allowing the rush hour traffic to move freely and preventing blockages when two lorries meet going in different directions and are thwarted by a car.

“This has been achieved by the efforts of Halstead Town Council at their expense.

“There have not been any major accidents resulting from the parking, but daily frustration for drivers as it was impossible for two vehicles to pass.

“You can already see the difference in the rush hour.”

Motorists can still park on the road during the night.