Why Folkestone Parking Availability Signs Don't Work

6.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 8th Oct 2009

Liberal Democrat Councillor Tim Prater has learned from Shepway District Council that the parking availability signs around Folkestone Town Centre, which were installed some years ago but have never been switched on, do not work due to "someone not specifying to the construction team that an aerial was supposed to go up on site during the construction phase of the project".

Shepway Council claim they are still trying to get the system working, but it has proved difficult as "all of the staff who were working on the contract have left their respective companies."

The answers came into response to an emailed answer to Tim Prater in response to questions on why the scheme was still not working. Tim Prater commented:

"It's incredible that a system that was installed so long ago has never worked, and an embarrassment to Folkestone as a town and Shepway District Council in particular. To have failed to include essential kit within the specification - like an aerial to make the system work - defies belief.

"But it's worse than that - Bouverie Square Shopping Centre around which these signs were designed has been open almost 2 years. To have failed to get the system working in that time seems to show a complete lack of interest by Shepway Council in helping people park and shop in Folkestone."