LORRY drivers have flouted new rules just hours after red lines banning them from parking were painted.

Last week councillors celebrated winning their ongoing battle to see lorries banned from parking on Williamsburg Avenue, near Lidl supermarket in Dovercourt.

The freshly-painted red lines – known as a red route clearway – indicate that no vehicles are allowed to stop on them during any time of day or night.

But frustrated councillors have blasted drivers for ignoring the new restrictions.

Harwich councillor Maria Fowler said: “We put pressure on just about everybody we could to get these lines done.

“It’s frustrating for the residents who have seen how dangerous it has been down there.

“I want to see enforcement.

“The other thing that happens is they go on the estate, only a few weeks ago it was 4am and the driver couldn’t reverse out.

“He had to call the police and they had to wake people up to get them to move their cars.”

The red lines, which were installed by North Essex Parking Partnership to prevent lorries from blocking the road, stop them from parking overnight and to ensure safe traffic flow in the area.

Harwich councillor Ivan Henderson said: “You can see clearly this heavy vehicle is parked on the footpath. That’s going to be massive costs to the taxpayers when the footpath sinks and needs to be repaired. The back end of the lorry is sticking out in the road – it’s really dangerous.”