Carroll Fury at Royal Military Avenue Parking Decision

5.53.46pm GMT Sat 30th Jan 2010

Cheriton Councillor Peter Carroll is furious about new Kent plans for Royal Military Avenue, Cheriton. After years of pushing, Kent agreed to consult local residents on 2 schemes in the road, one with oblique "nose in" parking, and another with a chevron down the road to slow traffic.

Despite residents backing the oblique parking scheme, Kent and Shepway Councillors then backed the chevron scheme, which will do nothing to improve parking problems in the road. Peter Carroll said:

"It's outrageous that the residents' preferred scheme did not get supported. Only Lib Dem Tim Prater backed the majority of residents views at the key meeting. The Conservatives voted against.

"We'd worked hard with local residents to get oblique parking considered against the wishes of Kent County Council. To then lose at the final hurdle is a disgrace."

County Councillor Tim Prater commented:

"The most residents supported the oblique / nose in parking scheme, and I was happy to support residents in that view: they know their road best. But Kent Highways had been blocking the residents preferred scheme consistently, initially ruling it out totally, and then only reluctantly including it in the consultation after they were forced to do so though pressure from the Lib Dem team. It was a disappoint, but not a huge surprise, to find that when the consultation results went to the Joint Transport Board, Kent AGAIN advised against listening to the preferred option of most people.

"What I do find sad is the Conservative Councillors on the joint transport Board who voted for the option put forward by Kent Highways instead of listening the local residents. They need to listen more.

"Many local residents are now questioning why Kent have refused to listen to them, and if the £20,000 to be spent on the imposed scheme will be of any use at all."