Birchington traders are mounting a campaign to scrap pay and display parking in the village.
The move follows this week’s news that plans to charge at previously free bays in Westgate and at The Parade in Minnis Bay have been postponed. There will also be a review of charging proposals in Westbrook roads.
But Birchington businesses say paid parking is also hitting their trade.
Birchington Parish Councillor Phil Fellows (pictured) said: “Westgate traders and residents were successful in their objections to stop Pay and Display in their shopping areas. Now this seems unfair to our traders here.
“Village business owner and KCC councillor Liz Hurst is now starting a campaign to get TDC to review the pay and display in our village. She will be visiting businesses today (June 1) to drum up support.
“It won’t be easy but people power can win, as seen here recently with Minnis Bay. It may need a petition and possibly a public meeting. Paid parking means less customers, we have had our meters for a few years and businesses are reporting trade going down year on year. Some are now only just hanging on. We need to support our small businesses.
“There will now be a review of parking charges in Westgate. We need Birchington in this review.
“It’s about having a level playing field for our traders. How can our parking be so restricted when neighbouring areas are not? We are a semi rural coastal village at the end of the day with big city restrictions.”
A traders’ meeting is now being arranged.
In her call to traders Cllr Hurst (pictured), who owns a pet shop in Station Road, branded the charges in Birchington as an ‘injustice.’ She said: “Although The Parade at Minnis is to be free of parking charges, as are Westgate and Westbrook (under review), the side roads in Birchington are soon to be charged for parking, with permits for residents. We are being hit, like Broadstairs, whereas other villages/towns are remaining free, so far more tempting to shoppers.”
Thanet council’s decision to postpone indefinitely plans to change free parking to seasonal pay and display at Minnis Bay and Westgate, with a review of Westbrook, follows a consultation on proposals which received more than 5,300 responses.
The consultation, which ran from Wednesday 2 May to Tuesday 29 May, invited residents and local businesses to make representation and raise any objection to the proposals.
Responses included emails, letters and petition signatures expressing their points of view and commenting on the proposed changes.
The locations which have been removed from the proposals are The Parade, Minnis Bay and Cuthbert Road, St Mildred’s Road and Station Road in Westgate.
Canterbury Road and Royal Crescent in Westbrook will undergo traffic surveys and ‘analysis.’
The seasonal charges were first proposed by the council in April last year as part of a three phase scheme.
Following the public outcry amendments were made to the scheme last October.
Thanet council said the revised scheme would bring in additional annual revenue of approximately £390k per year. The aim was to plug the gap left by cuts to council grants from central government.
The charges were approved by councillors at the end of last year.
Angry residents in Birchington raised a petition against the changes. Traders and residents in Westbrook and Westgate were also furious, saying the charges would “kill business.”
The group took action with “Highway Robbery” posters appearing on sign posts across the area and planned a protest march for the evening of the Joint Transport Board meeting on June 7.
The Minnis Bay proposal received 3,855 objections followed by Westgate with 1,282.
Pay and display proposals
DYL” means no waiting at any time
SYL means no waiting Mon-Sat 8am to 6pm
ROADS IN BIRCHINGTON
EASTFIELD ROAD – Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with resident’s bays.
PADDOCK ROAD – Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with resident’s bays.
STATION APPROACH – Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents ‘bays.
ROADS IN BROADSTAIRS
BRADSTOW WAY – Introducing DYL – On the eastern side from a point 10 metres from the junction with Carlton Avenue for a distance of 7 metres in an easterly direction.
CARLTON AVENUE – (1) Change the SYL to DYL On the eastern side from a point 3 metres north of the boundary of 17/19 Carlton Avenue to a point in line with the boundary of 21/21a Carlton Avenue. (2) On the western side (a) between points 15 metres north of the northern kerbline of High Street and 15 metres south of the southern kerbline of Lawn Road; (b) between points 46 metres north of the northern kerb line of Lawn Road to a point opposite the boundary of 21/21A Carlton Avenue.
LLOYD ROAD – Change the SYL to DYL On the north-eastern side from a point 4 metres north-west of the boundary of 9/11 Lloyd Road. to a point in line with the southern boundary of 21 Lloyd Road.
PIERREMONT AVENUE – Change the SYL to DYL On the western side from a point 15 metres south of the southern kerbline of High Street to a point 50 metres south of the southern kerbline of High Street.
PAY AND DISPLAY
ELMWOOD AVENUE – Pay and Display from 10am until 6pm every day 1st April to 31st October inclusive.
On the north-western side from a point 20 metres from the junction with Joss Gap Road for a distance of 590 metres in a south-westerly direction.
ROADS IN MARGATE
CONTINENTAL APPROACH – Introducing DYL On the western side of Continental Approach from a point 16 metres from the northern kerbline of Enterprise Road for a distance of 17 metres in a northerly direction. On the eastern side from a point 16 metres from the northern kerbline of Enterprise Road for a distance of 17 metres in a northerly direction.
GLADSTONE ROAD – Introducing DYL – on both sides of the junction with Buckingham Road for a distance of 10 metres in a southerly direction.
BUCKINGHAM ROAD – Introducing DYL – on both sides of the junction with Gladstone Road for a distance of 10 metres in an easterly direction and 10 metres in a westerly direction.
THE COURTS – Introducing DYL – on both sides of both junctions with Westbrook Avenue for a distance of 10 metres in a southerly direction.
WESTBROOK AVENUE – Introducing DYL – on both sides of both junctions between points 10 metres east and 10 metres west of the junction with The Courts.
WALPOLE ROAD – Introducing DYL on the western side from a point in line with the southern boundary of 1 Walpole Road for a distance of 9 metres to a point in line with the northern boundary of 2 Walpole Road.
The Insertion of a PROHIBITION ON LOADING AND UNLOADING 9am to 6pm every day for –HIGH STREET on the eastern side from a point opposite the boundary of 80/82 High Street for a distance of 10 metres in a southerly direction.
BROAD STREET – Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents’ parking scheme.
FORT ROAD Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents’ parking scheme.
LOMBARD STREET Added into the residents’ parking scheme
NEW CROSS STREET Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents’ parking scheme.
NEW STREET Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents’ parking scheme.
THE PARADE Change the time limited bays to shared pay and display with residents’ parking scheme.
ROADS IN RAMSGATE
KEVIN DRIVE – Introducing DYL – on both sides of the junction with Saxon Road for a distance of 10 metres.
SAXON ROAD Introducing -DYL – on both sides of the junction with Kevin Drive for a distance of 10 metres.
NETHERCOURT GARDENS – Introducing DYL –on both sides of the bend from a point in line with the southern boundary of 1 Nethercourt Gardens for a distance of 10 metres to a point in line with the northern boundary of 3 Nethercourt Gardens.
PAY AND DISPLAY PARKING PLACES WITH SHARED RESIDENTS’ PARKING SCHEME
CLIFF STREET- The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
NELSON CRESCENT– The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
PARAGON — The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
PROSPECT TERRACE — The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
ROSE HILL- The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
SION HILL – The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
WELLINGTON CRESCENT- The existing free on street parking will become pay and display parking places with shared residents’ parking scheme.
ROADS IN WESTBROOK – To be reviewed
CHANGE THE TIME LIMITED BAYS TO PAY AND DISPLAY PARKING PLACES.
CANTERBURY ROAD – Change the time limited bays to pay and display parking places.
ROYAL CRESCENT – Change the time limited bays to pay and display parking places.