Residents in Kingsgate say they are furious after a private parking control company has been brought in on two unadopted roads – and householders told they will have to get £20 refundable permits for any visitors wanting to park.
The decision was made by the residents committee in a bid to alleviate the problems encountered by residents in the Summer due to inconsiderate parking from beach visitors. Each household automatically has two permits but will need extra if they are visited by anyone with a vehicle.
The Kinggate community residents committee has now implemented from today (Good Friday) a scheme via private enforcement company CPM.
Anyone parking without the permit could face a £100 fine.
But residents say many of them were not at the meeting when the vote was taken and question the method of getting the visitor permits for Kingsgate and Fitzroy Avenues.
One resident told The Isle of Thanet News: “ You have to ring a certain committee member and then walk down to her house and pay the £20 for the permit. What if she isn’t in? What if my family turn up and I do not have £20 handy? What if there are five cars and I have to find £100 on the spot?”
Residents also say no provision has been made for disabled parking. The resident said: “We are told they will just have to find somewhere else!
“After the parking chaos last year and the year before we all understand there has to be a solution but this is not the answer.”
There is also some confusion over when the restrictions apply. The newly installed signs indicate permits are needed 24/7 all year around. But a resident said they had been informed via the committee that restriction were for weekends from April until September.
There is also a query raised over signs saying to park in marked bays – there are as yet no marked bays.
A post from the Neighbourhood Engagement Meeting page says: “At the NEM on Tuesday evening, the parking situation in Kingsgate was discussed. Kingsgate Avenue and Fitzroy Avenue are unadopted roads maintained by a residents’ committee.
“They have employed CPM, a private company, to control the parking in these roads. The signs are clearly displayed and therefore any parking charges issued are legally enforceable. CPM will have wardens on patrol throughout the Easter Bank Holiday period.”
Unadopted roads do not have to be adequately maintained by the highway authority under the Highways Act 1980. A legal duty to maintain the roads still exists, but it falls onto the owners of any properties fronting that highway.
This will push even more cars on to Percy Avenue and Botany Road where residents regularly witness arguments over a single available space with householders finding they can’t even get to their own properties.
Anyone can park on a public road. The householder can’t do anything about it. First come,first served.
It’s not an adopted road, meaning they can do as they choose, hence the permits.
These two aren’t public roads but private unadopted ones, maintained by the residents. Added to the issue is that coaches ishnore the ‘No Coaches’signs on these roads so they get clogged up even more by vehicles jostling for space.
Apparently cars are already been ticketed by the company. Not sure legally how this works. Can you refuse to pay or not?
I’ve always parked considerately in these roads. It was annoying visiting the Botany Bay hotel today where the carpark was full and I couldn’t park nearby. It will affect their business I’m sure. I know there were problems with the inconsiderate few over the last few summers and this is a private road, but this blanket ban seems over the top.
Agree. We go to the Botany Bay from time to time and did wonder if there were a large function where the cars would park as the car park is often very full on a good day.
I have spoken to people who live in Perry Avenue who say it isn’t unusual to hear drivers arguing over a parking space in the summer and householders get visitors ringing their bells to ask if they can park Iin their driveway. This needs to be sorted out soon especially now the beach kiosk has an alcohol licence that will bring people down in the evenings as well when residents are home from work adding to the traffic chaos.
Percy Avenue not Perry Avenue!
If there was reasonable public transport, there would be less of a problem.
With many house holds now having two or more cars, there just isn’t the space in the street to accommodate them.
There is loads of space on this road. That’s not the issue. They don’t like the tourists parking on the road for the beach. Unfortunately some people parked blocking drives etc during the hot summer. So instead of dealing with those people they have put a ban on everyone parking on the road.
And CPM can’t enforce the parking fine’s only Thanet District Council & KCC as these ticket’s are not enforcement but a penalty charge.
As i have come across this before when trying to park in carpark’s etc that are not owned by KCC or TDC.
So the resident’s of these 2 road’s should of consulted all resident’s not just some of them.
Quite right, I’ve just gone to my car and found a ticket! I live here pay my council tax and no way im paying a penalty charge to park outside my own house
Read the law on parking & who can enforce fine’s & who can’t.
Then you will find that KCC & TDC only have the power to enforce the parking fine’s & not these private companie’s.
Even on private roads? These are unadopted private roads not the highway.
Mark you’re wrong. Very wrong. You give dangerous advice and should read the law before you do. Per the supreme court ruling, re the Bevis case, private parking charges can be enforced and are legally enforced.
I did email you Kathy to highlight this issue. Strange how it was Botany Road that had asked the council officials and our wonderful Mr. Mackinlay, to consider a solution but it is our wealthy neighbours who are doing their best to push the problem on to Botany Rd and Percy Ave.
By the way, what have these officials done……absolutely nothing. What a surprise, stand by this weekend it could be mayhem, but who cares, as Mr Bayford says it’s the price we pay for living by the sea. What a cop out, it’s his wealthy neighbours who are prepared to,pay to have the problem moved elsewhere, yep you’ve guessed Botany Road for a start.
It’s time for a change folks, Council elections coming up, let’s put people in power that have their constituents first. Can’t wait!
Thank god! It’s not that hard to get permits, and considering I had people parking on my lawn and leaving dirty nappies and bottles outside my house I’m glad it’s gone ahead!!
The Botany Bay hotel is my polling station for the council elections. I live about 2 miles away. Am I going to get a parking ticket for exercising my democratic right to vote? Or can’t we have a polling station nearer to our home – those in neighbouring wards are closer, which is ridiculous. An unacceptable situation. Why did nobody consider this??
Margaret Symonds simple solution get a permanent postal vote.
Are there any buses which stop near the Botany Bay hotel, and if so , how frequent are they? All polling stations should be near public transport.
The improvement of local public transport should be high on every political party’s agenda.
In a word, no. The wrard includes the Northforeland estate so the only bus from there’ would mean a short walk to catch the very infrequent new number 37 into Broadstairs but from there there is the infrequent 33 that does go through Kingsgate but starts after 10a.m. and finishes early. Both these routes have a huge gap in the afternoon and don’t run in the evenings anyway.
The Botany Bay is a long walk from the main road. I recall meeting a couple of visitors staying at the Botany Bay who had come by train and regretted not checking out the available transport as they had to use taxis to get anywhere.
Polling stations have to be in public access buildings that can be requisitioned and Kingsgate only has the Botany Bay and the 19th Hole or the golf course so not a huge choice for a polling station.
TDC are well aware of the problems around the roads surrounding Botany Bay but seem powerless to take any action. They have made things worse by agreeing to an alcohol license for the beach kiosk and now this scheme for Kingsgate and Fitzroy avenues will lead to even more chaos in the other surrounding roads. A solution needs to be found that helps solve the parking problems. Thank you to Jenny Matterface for speaking out and her valuable knowledge. If the parking permit solution is going to stay in place, the only way to avoid chaos in other roads would seem to be to extend a resident parking scheme to all the surrounding roads.
Tried numerous times yesterday and this morning for my and my daughter’s cars to get our permits but to no avail, anyone know how and where to obtain them as the car parking company are not answering their phones and trying to get them online is fruitless as the site doesn’t recognise my postcode
Well said Janet, this ludicrous council have not only done nothing to resolve the problem they created, but have now issued an alcohol license for the kiosk on Botany Bay. Makes you wonder if there’s a motive behind this, any suggestions?
Let’s put pressure on this hopeless council lead by the most ineffective person you can imagine, possibly get rid of them in a couple of weeks? What do you think? In the meantime keep informing the press when it goes mad, it’s amazing what people can do if they stick together .
Hoping for a peaceful Easter to everyone affected by what has been happening over the last few years.
Please don’t give incorrect advice. Per the Bevis ruling in the Supreme Court, it can be legally enforced.
If you Google the case it was a firm called ParkingEye v Barry Beavis who owns a chip shop in Billericay. Good report on the BBC News website.