A bus driver has urged people to park sensibly after he was forced to reverse down a main road blocked with cars on both sides.

The driver, who was in a double decker Flagfinders bus, was unable to drive along Mountbatten Road, Braintree, because cars had parked opposite each other in the road.

As cars began to line up behind the driver, who asked to remain anonymous, he was forced to reverse down the road and park up on a kerb.

He said: “I went around Mountbatten Road, but I just could not get through.

“It got to the point where all the mums were parked up behind me and it all came to a standstill.

“I was in a double decker bus and I stuck it up on the kerb to get out of the way and let people through.

“I spoke to the taxi driver and he did say he was picking someone up from a house there.

“Luckily I had just got back from a job and was empty or it would have been a nightmare.”

The incident happened on the first day of term near Great Bradfords School and vehicles were still parked in the same spaces hours later.

Concerns have now been raised about access for the fire service.

The driver said: “People just need to park sensibly. You don’t park opposite each other on a road, it’s a main bus route.

“To park opposite another car is just ridiculous, what if it was a fire engine trying to get through?”

Cllr Stephen Canning said: “Mountbatten Road has long been a difficult place for parking and driving.

“I’m in contact with the Highways Authority to see how we can make traffic flow easier along the route, whilst making it safer for children attending the primary and junior schools.”