Action is being taken to stop problems with “lost” lorries clogging up parts of Felixstowe seafront – with some of the drivers seeking places to illegally park-up overnight.

Trucks have been causing a nuisance in the southern end of the town for the past year due to increasing business of offices and depots in the area.

Residents complained that heavy lorries visiting business premises in the early hours, arriving mostly between 3am and 4am, were rattling windows, waking people up and shaking homes.

The trucks have been travelling along Beach Station Road and along Langer Road to visit business parks in Carr Road and Schneider Close to collect paperwork needed to unload containers on the Port of Felixstowe.

Police say they have mostly got to grips with this problem, thanks to help from the haulage companies, but now are having to deal with drivers “lost” in the area, some looking for places to park for the night.

Sgt Peter Street told Felixstowe and District Safer Neighbourhood Team community panel a 7.5tonne limit on the resort’s roads meant lorries could not park, but access to reach premises was still permitted.

Part of the problem was that many of the drivers found where they should not be were foreign nationals and officers then have to use a phone translation service or call in traffic officers.

Talks are now under way with highways officials for improved signs in the area to explain the restrictions, and direct trucks on the right routes to prevent them clogging up narrow seafront roads.

Sgt Street said: “The directors of the haulage companies have been very positive and some have taken action to drastically improve the lorry situation.

“We have elminated the problem of lorries coming into the area to pick up invoices, and we now need to eliminate them coming to the seafront for fish and chips and educate them about parking at night.

“We will continue to put pressure on but we cannot guarantee there will be no lorries at all.”