PARKING chaos outside a busy GP surgery could soon become a thing of the past after councillors agreed to apply for a layby.

Leigh Town Council’s planning, highways and licensing committee, unanimously voted to lobby Southend Council for a pick up and drop off point.

It comes after residents raised concerns about safety outside the Leigh Primary Care Centre, in London Road, Leigh.

Caroline Parker, chair of the commitee, said: “I’ve been told that taxi companies are complaining about dropping off and picking up customers without proper allocated space, especially on a busy road such as the London Road.

“The care centre is home to two doctors’ surgeries, a blood test unit, a chiropodist, a hearing centre, ulcer clinic and a dentist so it is very heavily used – Pall Mall surgery alone has 15,000 patients on its books.

“The pavement is wide enough to accommodate a layby.”

Mrs Parker’s motion was backed by all members of the committee.

Councillor Carole Mulroney said: “When they built that building one of the benefits was that it had a car park but it gets jammed up very quickly now.”

Leader of the council, RichardHerbert, also threwhis support behing the motion.

He added: “It would be a major improvement and an enhancement in every way, to everybody – I do not know why it has not been suggested before.

“It should be ensured that it is solely for picking up and dropping off though, not for actual parking.”

Lin Cook, a driver for Leigh based company Mr Cabbie, also backed the plan She said: “I’d be all for it, we get a decent amount of business at the care centre and it is a regular problem trying to park up there.

“There are not many places you can park up there and most of those are already taken when you get there anyway.”

Emma Shaw, of NHS Property Services, said: “We would very much be in support of that. It is down to the council as it is there land but it would be an enhancement to all users as the proximity of the layby to the entrance would help patients.”