Poorly thought-out and executed stealth tax traffic restriction schemes in Medway simply shift the school parking problem to other areas.   We absolutely support making school areas safer with respect to traffic, but the schemes need to be properly thought out and executed.  This problem applies to ALL schemes in Medway and other towns in Britain.  The example given below is of the Richmond Road School Street scheme in Gillingham although we are aware of similar issues in Rainham and other towns in Medway.

The signage is unfit for purpose when better alternatives are available by law, including warning lights, barriers, volunteers etc.  The Council chose the bare minimum (signs).  Talking to local residents, traders and shop owners in the area, we believe that the scheme acts as a money trap for people, who believe that the road is a major thoroughfare.  It makes it virtually impossible for trades people, couriers, taxis, care workers, visitors, and many other groups to visit residents in the area.  It is also impacting people's ability to sell their homes and ultimately prices.

If you are from out of the area and use a Sat Nav or Google, you are not warned of the restrictions.  This has contributed to many people being caught.

 

 

“On Christmas eve, they fined 75 people for using this road, including my family – while the school wasn’t even open!!”  Resident

“I've had tons of PCN’s – hundreds of pounds despite paying for a permit.”  Resident .

Given the available alternatives, we believe that these schemes are poorly designed and executed precisely to collect taxes, rather than to make the streets safer for our children.  There is no evidence that it has impacted the latter.  We have made an FOI request to find out more.

“I have paid hundreds of pounds in fines because I cannot change my permit from G to M zone. They won’t let me alter it or refund the payments.  Other places I have lived have an online notification and tracking, but here I often don’t receive them when I am at work or abroad.”   Resident.

We ask that the schemes are scrapped and people fully compensated, pending a full review and consultation.   We are fully supportive of the need to make schools safer at opening and closing times, but there are better alternatives to achieve this.  Here are a few that apply to the Richmond Road scheme.  Many of these have wider applicability to other schemes in Medway and other towns in Britain.

·      Restore lollipop lady / men during school traffic periods.

·      Open safe cycle routes to reduce local traffic, enhance community wellbeing and cohesion.

·      Prevent illegal parking on corners of Devonshire/Cornwall Road using bollards.

·      Extra turning/parking spaces on Devonshire and Cornwall Road.

·      Remove restriction to Richmond Road and make Cornwall Road the ‘school street’.

·      Designated school parking areas.

·      Install barriers with school volunteers.

·      Redevelop the Dockyard railway line as a pedestrian and cycle way with attendant benefits for children and families trying to gain some respite from cars, urban living and parking anxiety.  The disused line is a health hazard anyway as it is rat infested.  It needs cleaning up and redeveloping anyway.

“Getting permits is hard and we often get PCNs.”  Resident.

"Musicians and workers are coming home in the early hours.  They have to spend half an hour finding anywhere to park - they then get ticketed in the morning."  Resident.

“We won’t be renewing our lease because of the parking and traffic problems.”  Resident

“Can’t return home for lunch in my (employers) work van because it isn’t exempt, so if I forget something in the morning or need to return home I have to park it on Richmond Road outside the zone.”  Resident.

"Been waiting months for exemption to be processed. Keep having to chase it up but the paperwork for car was rejected- despite having provided duplicate evidence for parking permit."  Resident.