DAYTRIPPERS could criss-cross over the A127 in electric trams before travelling down to Southend seafront.

As part of major new plans, the trams could travel alongside and above the busy dual carriageway, transporting passengers as part of a “park and ride scheme” from Wickford to the seaside.

Asela, the collection of councils in south Essex, is investigating the viability of the scheme, which would use a completely new transport network.

In Southend, officers are enquiring whether trams could be used along the seafront.

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This comes after the former leader of Basildon Council, Gavin Callaghan, had formulated a plan to use “transport hubs” across the town as tram stations.

These same “hubs” could now be seen across south Essex.

Chris Hossack, the leader of Brentwood council, and chair of Asela, said: “We’re looking at a huge infrastructure project, there’s a lot going on with transport.

“It would be a rapid transport network to improve connectivity across south Essex, from Wickford to Southend.

“It would be greener transport.

“The days of smokey old cars are numbered.

“It will be a whole new network. It could be trams but its early days.

“We have good public transport and road networks but it needs investment.”

Electric trams are currently used in towns like Sheffield and Croydon, and have long been utilised in Manchester.

Ron Woodley, deputy leader of Southend Council, and councillor in charge of transport, said: “I’ve asked officers to treat Southend as a blank canvas.

“As soon as we start ruling out roads or areas of the town where trams could be used, we won’t get anywhere.

“We could connect the transport hubs to the existing train stations, we’re blessed with nine of them already.

“Or we could have a larger hub at somewhere like Garon Park, and then use minibuses to transport them elsewhere.

“It could criss-cross the A127 and go above the road, but it could be difficult to do that with the homes.”

A park and ride scheme has long been suggested for Southend, and Kevin Buck, shadow councillor in charge of transport, believes electric trams are the best way to tap into the idea.

He said: “It’s the best way I can see this working, with a car park in Wickford, or anywhere for that matter, with trams then transporting people to the town.

“It’s a fantastic idea, and I’m fully behind it.

“However I wouldn’t want it to take up any existing road space. It would need to go above or below the A127.

“The A127 was built in the 1920s, and hasn’t been upgraded since.

“We need investment in south Essex.”

A park and ride trial in Southend was deemed “not as good as hoped” four years ago.