A BROKEN down bus caused chaos on and around Canvey early yesterday morning... leading to renewed calls for a vital third route off the island.

The bus, which broke down in High Street, Benfleet, caused miles of tailbacks adding more than an hour to people’s regular journeys.

The breakdown happened at about 7am.

Fed-up residents took to Facebook to make their feelings clear.

Rita Stalley, said: “I left home at Smallgains at 7.15am to get my grandchildren’s to school in Benfleet and I got to Appleton 8.40am.

“Even went up Canvey Way once we were at Waterside.

“We need that third road before anymore building.”

Sallyann Holland said: “It doesn’t take much to cause these jams.

“There’s cries for another road to be made.

“MP Rebecca Harris needs to do a petition to put to the Government for funding for a new road to be built but she is just not interested.

“I’m going to write to her again.”

Hundreds of residents across the island were late for their daily commutes to work and school, with traffic causing tailbacks miles long leading off the island.

Michelle Murill wasn’t happy either.

She posted: “All of this traffic this morning just coz of a broken down bus wtf we need this third road!

“People from the island need to get some petitions made up and put out.

“The bus breaks down and the whole island is at a standstill.

“It shouldn’t be right and really and truly we are all ******* if God forbid something serious happened.”

Former Canvey stalwart councillor Ray Howard knows where the answer lies.

He said: “It proves once again we desperately need another access road on and off of Canvey.

“I can speak freely now that I am no longer a member.

“To be quite blunt I have been briefing people today on the access to Canvey on behalf of Rebecca Harris.”

Canvey Councillor Barry Palmer, added: “Everyone knows we do need a third road we keep getting told there’s no money available and it seems it’s something we have got to live with until its our turn.

“Even the money for certain road projects - Canvey has been put on back of the list.

“We haven’t been on the list for a number of years.

“Most of it is being allocated to Cuckoo Corner in Southend and improving the A127.

“I’m not surprised this happened - especially with the one way system.

“They said it’s only a trial, but it looks like it could stay.

“Not a lot of people are happy with it.

“It’s made worse picking up people from station. Something really needs to be done.”

A spokesman for First Bus said: “One of our vehicles broke down this morning causing disruption to the bus network and other road users for a couple of hours whilst awaiting assistance from the recovery company to resolve the situation.

“Apologies to all road users that were inconvenienced by the disruption this morning.”