Agenda item

Ms Glaiser, introduced the item which asked for the Board’s comments regarding the revised on-street parking restriction proposals, following an independent survey for Minnis Bay, Westbrook and Westgate-on-sea.

Councillors Bambridge, Scott, Braidwood and Ashbee spoke under Council procedure 20.1 during which the following points were noted:

·  There were always places to park in Station Road in Westgate-on-sea, and there were no obvious traffic flow problems.

·  Trade would be killed off if people didn’t want to pay to park, this would lead to loss of business and a loss of business rates to the Council.

·  Westgate had a number of unique independently run shops.  A pay and display scheme would reduce footfall and business would suffer, leading to the loss of jobs.  Empty shops encouraged criminality. 

·  It would be better if the existing one hour free parking policy was enforced.

·  Westbrook business owners were worried by the proposal.  They believed that it would be better, and more profitable for the Council, to enforce overstay parking than introduce a new pay and display parking scheme.

·  The proposals had no support from businesses and residents in Westbrook or Westgate-on-sea, with the exception of Royal Crescent where residents were supportive of the proposal in their area.

·  The Council should talk with residents and businesses rather than hire an external consultant to do their research.

During consideration of the item it was noted that:

·  The schemes had been split into three groups, however it could be beneficial to separate Royal Crescent into a fourth group as the residents in this area were so supportive of the proposal.

·  Extensive consultation had previously taken place, suggestions of how to improve the consultation process were welcome from residents and Members.

·  The cost of installing pay and display schemes varied according to the location.

The following comments were received from Members of the Board:

·  Shops had closed in Birchington due to the introduction of parking charges.

·  The consultant’s report seemed to make statements without sufficient supporting evidence.

·  Elderly residents would have to walk further.

·  It would be more effective to increase the enforcement of existing schemes than to introduce a new pay and display scheme.

·  TDC should have constructive dialogue with the Town Council’s and other partners about alternative options as their local knowledge could help provide a number of better ideas.

·  Local residents should be given special privileges to allow them to park in Westbrook and Westgate-on-sea centres.

·  The local shops would be very disadvantaged, it would discourage people from coming to the centres.

·  Some other councils had reduced parking charges to encourage footfall for local businesses.

·  Parking charges should be the same across the whole of the District.

·  Residents could be charged less than visitors.

·  Birchington traders had set up 30 member group to look at ways to improve footfall. They unanimously believed that if the Birchington scheme was removed then traders would be tempted to park outside their shops and this would reduce footfall.  However they did want the cost of parking to be reduced.

·  A charge such at 50p for 30 minuets and £1 for an hour would be fair and encourage good footfall.  People could not do anything in a 10 minute stay.