PLANS to start work on the Crossrail project in Brentwood and Shenfield a year early have been slammed by the town’s politicians.

Crossrail announced the work last week, which will include the removal of vegetation from the railway land next to Friars Avenue in Shenfield, starting in January.

The work will require many of the spaces in Friars Avenue car park to be occupied by workers.

Up to 21 car parking spaces will also be used at Brentwood station.

Brentwood Council leader Barry Aspinell said the main concerns were over the routes delivery vehicles will use in the towns during the period, and that there is now not enough time to come up with a parking solution for the number of spaces that will be lost.

The Shenfield route includes using Crossways, Hunter Avenue, and Oliver Road to access Friars Avenue car park.

He said: “We have grave concerns as a council that they haven’t negotiated with us over the construction lorry routes.

“The logic behind what’s proposed totally baffles me. I could understand it if they were just coming down Crossways, but these are all residential roads with cars parked along them.”

Councillors are now handing out consultation documents to Shenfield residents asking if they would agree with an application to County Hall to have vehicle weight restrictions on all residential roads around the station.

The work will eventually see the platform at Brentwood station extended to accommodate the longer trains and a new track layout and platform built at Shenfield.

Jo-Anne Ireland, the acting chief executive of Brentwood Council has written a letter to Brentwood and Ongar MP Eric Pickles asking for his help in dealing with Crossrail over the matter.

Mr Pickles said he had approached the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, regarding the early start.

He added: “I will be getting in touch with Crossrail to facilitate a meeting with the council to ensure disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.

“I have received solid reassurances from Crossrail previously this construction would be on a good neighbour policy and I want to make sure that promise is honoured.”