AGM

Tenterden and St Michaels Parking Review

This is an extract from the letter of objection that TDRA wrote in response to the parking proposals.

Overview

The association is very concerned that the draft orders have been prepared at the same time as the consultation process and with the lack of time to enable a considered response to be made.

The lack of a long-term strategy for both on and off-street parking has been a longstanding concern of local residents and employers. We hoped therefore that the revised scheme would adopt a comprehensive approach to resolving the town's problems, rather than narrowly focussing on on-street parking. This would include provision of additional off -street parking in response to the expansion of the town that is proposed in the Local Development Framework Submission Document for the period up to 2021. There also needs to be a clear and simple system of charging for parking that would meet the diverse needs of visitors, residents and workers. We understand this is in hand, but it has not been made public as part of the consultation exercise.

This failure to adopt a strategic plan exposes the weakness in the published scheme. Most obviously there are no proposals to relocate the parking spaces that would be displaced from the streets. The Report to the Joint Transportation Board 5th January 2006 estimated that as many as 262 on street spaces might be lost. If the proposed scheme involves any where near this number there will be major repercussions. Clarification of numbers is therefore important. Workers in the town currently use many of these spaces and will be seriously disadvantaged. This displacement is likely to simply transfer problems into other residential areas further from the town centre and add to the pressures on the public car parks.

Promised revisions to car parking charges that would assist workers and businesses in the town have not been implemented. We understand that a maximum of two pounds fifty a day will be charged in all off-street car parks, apart from Waitrose. Again this has not been confirmed.

Our responses to the ABC's specific proposals, listed below, should therefore be seen in the context of these fundamental reservations about the narrow scope of the whole exercise and the lack of reliable and relevant information on loss of parking spaces and proposed new car parking charges.

A28 Entry to the Town From The North

We believe that the proposals to introduce double yellow lines along the length of the A28 would have an adverse effect on users of facilities in St Michaels, including the shops and the Recreation Ground, and would encourage traffic to exceed the 40mph limit.

Provision for retention of the current limited parking in Grange Road on the main road for delivering and collecting children attending St Michaels school, while welcome, in no way addresses the concerns of traders and the local community's priorities.

You will be aware of the considerable strength of feeling in favour of a 30mph limit on this road. The TDRA membership overwhelmingly supports this view. The complex of shops and numerous junctions (some with very poor visibility) in the centre of St Michaels presents a serious risk to pedestrians and drivers. This is exacerbated by the frequent vehicular movements in and out of four lay bys, a large petrol station and bus stops.. The existence of a popular primary school, two takeaways and a public house add to extensive pedestrian movements across the main road during certain times during the day and evenings.

We welcome the restrictions on the junctions onto the A28, including, for example Chalk Avenue and Wayside Avenue.

Damage to the verges along the A28 as a result of regular parking on these seriously damages the appearance of one of the major approaches to the town. This is particularly evident in front of Boresisle and closer to the town on the opposite side of the road. Some additional lay-by provision combined with physical protection of the verges should be considered.

Side Roads Near to Homewood School

The suggested "No parking" at all times provision e.g. in Homewood Road and Ingleden Park Road is draconian, unnecessary and would inconvenience residents. While we accept that there may be a need for restrictions on bends in Homewood Road, there is no need for restrictions all day along the length of the road at the weekends when there are no pressures from school users. Has a "no parking" single line with one hour prohibition been considered?

Appledore Road

Appledore Road is, in effect, a main road not wide enough to take a parking strip and allow two-way traffic as well. The proposed parking is sited at a place where already traffic is bunching up to get into Tenterden via East Hill, both from Appledore Road and also from down the slope of Beacon Oak Road. The scheme reduces the carriageway to uncontrolled single track at a stretch where already sight-lines of oncoming traffic from Beacon Oak are severely restricted when travelling into Tenterden. This is also the case for traffic coming down the slope of Beacon Oak Road in the opposite direction, for whom the corner, where East Hill comes in, is blind.

Parking on Residential Estates

Many of proposals for restrictions on a number of what are purely residential estates are, in our view, excessive. For example, in Henley Fields, Grange Crescent and Shrubcote. Visitors to the town do not use these for long-term parking and restrictions would be costly to introduce and enforce. We recognize, however, that there are important exceptions e.g. the junctions onto Appledore Road, sections of road on the bus route through Shrubcote.

Parking in the Town Centre

Proposals for two hour parking in Church Road and Oaks Road make no sense in terms of consistency, ease of access to the town and the need for regular turnover of vehicles. They will create added overall pressure on parking spaces.

We see no case for restrictions to on street parking after 6pm and we believe that off-street on Sundays should be free.

The overall displacement of on-street parking spaces in or near the town centre will, we believe, be detrimental to the economy of the town, unless off street-parking provision is improved at affordable cost to retail and other workers.

In brief, in our view, the proposals as they stand appear seriously flawed