A BUSINESS owner says he is being made to suffer because the council is gridlocking a vital service road with coaches and minibuses.

Running parallel to the North Circular is Walthamstow Avenue, in Chingford, which is home to a Sainsbury’s superstore, Selco building suppliers and Avenue Business Park.

Walthamstow Avenue has no housing and functions as a vital service road for businesses in the industrial estate using it for early morning deliveries.

But over the last week it has become home to up to 40 minibuses and coaches parking back to back overnight.

The CT Plus vehicles are contracted by the council, turning up at around 4pm each day and leave for various jobs the next morning at 8am.

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Owner of engineering firm Lea Valley Centre Management, Roger Enis, said the situation has become “intolerable”.

He said: “It was such a surprise to see them all turn up at once.

“All the lorries making early morning deliveries at 6am have nowhere to stop and unload.

“They are left to unload the goods in the middle of the road, blocking access to our industrial estate.

“My staff can’t get to work and when the lorries finally go, we’re left with total congestion.

“My engineers are delayed getting to work so I’m losing money, it’s been a real struggle.”

Deputy council leader Clyde Loakes said the vehicles are parking in Walthamstow Avenue “temporarily” while the contractor finds them off-street parking.

He added: “The contractor is aware of concerns regarding their current location and is arranging for them to be transferred to their new site as soon as possible.”

Mr Enis, who started his business in 1989, said the situation is made worse as the drivers leave their own cars in the spaces taken by the minibuses, while they go off and do a day’s work for the council.

Mr Enis added: “We pay a lot of rates for being here and get absolutely nothing from the council.

“They don’t take our rubbish, we even have to put up with fly tipping as well.”

In December 2015, the council told Mr Enis it had hired contractors to put in double yellow lines in Walthamstow Avenue.

But 16 months later the double yellow lines have not been painted, leaving business owners without the safety of parking restrictions.

Mr Enis said the failure to put restrictions in place is “unacceptable” from the council, which has made matters worse by “gridlocking” the road with minibuses and coaches.

He added: “It is up to the council to find parking for its contracted vehicles.

“Clearly there isn’t much organisation between the council and the people they employ to do its work.”

Cllr Loakes said the council is aware of the long term parking concerns on Walthamstow Avenue.

He added: “We have put forward a proposal to introduce parking restrictions on the street.

This has gone through the statutory advertising process and will be introduced shortly.”