Consultation opens on Botany Bay residents permit scheme to combat Summer ‘parking hell’

Residents say access to their homes is continually blocked

Residents in Botany Bay are being asked to take part in a consultation aimed at solving ‘parking hell’ which takes place every summer when people flock to the beach.

People living in roads close to the bay have complained of verbal and physical abuse from motorists parking across and even in their driveways. They say there are also vehicles crammed in uncontrolled parking streets meaning many residents are unable to access their own homes.

Last year a public meeting was held to discuss the problems and talk about using a residents’ parking permit scheme to resolve the issues.

Proposals suggest a one hour time limit for visitor parking. Overstaying that limit could result in a £70 Fixed Penalty Notice.

Resident parking permits would cost around £74 per year. Blue badge owners could park without a permit as long as the blue badge is displayed in the car window.

Resident Alan Munns said: “The situation has become totally unsustainable. Not just for residents but for the beach which lacks the infrastructure to cope.”

During the lockdown the area was log-jammed with cars and, due to a lack of open facilities, numerous complaints of visitors using public areas as a toilet.

Since then Thanet council has reopened public toilets and stepped up enforcement with both its own officers and a private security firm.

Ward councillor and former council leader Bob Bayford attended a highly charged meeting in order to listen to residents’ concerns.

The meeting dissolved with the decision to set up a residents’ working group to liaise with Thanet council, KCC representatives, the police and others to try and identify a solution.

The Botany Bay Transport Solutions Group held an extensive series of fact finding meetings over the last eight months.

Barry Manners, one of the group members said: “We started like a bad episode of The Apprentice, just a group of locals in the pub brainstorming every conceivable solution to the issues – however far-fetched or ridiculous. We included every issue raised by residents at the meeting. By a process of elimination we believe we have the beginnings of a solution – and that’s a resident parking scheme.”

It’s a view that has been supported by South Thanet MP, Craig Mackinlay.

Mr Manners said: “Mr Mackinlay has been incredibly supportive in opening doors and helping us identify the solutions. He believes the scheme is the best way forward and has promised to support the resident parking scheme if residents want it. He’s stepped up to the mark and even posted the documentation to all residents.”

Mr Mackinlay has also written a letter to residents in the affected area, saying: “It is not a perfect solution; perfection would probably not ‘fit’ within the strictures of legislative constraints and local formulas……..however there is broad consensus that it would be a massive, essential first step forward in reducing the overcrowding of residential streets at peak times.”

Consultation forms have gone to residents in:

Ashurst Gardens, Botany Road, Buckhurst Drive, Dolphin Close, Foreness Close, Knockholt Road, Lamberhurst Way, Monkton Gardens, Percy Avenue, Sandhurst Road, The Ridings, Yardhurst Gardens.

Find the Botany Bay Traffic Solutions Group on facebook here

20 Comments

  1. Simple solution…. Close the beach. It clearly doesn’t have the necessary parking, toilets, nowhere to spend money. But I’ve been advised that this isn’t sufficient for TDC.The proposal is to offer Resident Parking at a cost of £74. So there you have it… pay up or shut up. Weak government, weak council. Seen it all before!!

    • Close the beach … but only to people who drive there.
      If you get the bus, or cycle, or walk, that should be fine.
      Why should others be denied the beach simply because some drivers are selfish and thoughtless?

      • Yes close the beach. If you’re so desperate to go to a beach,try Margate Main sands, try westbrook, Westgate beaches which have the facilities to cater for people. Andrew, where do you live? Clearly nowhere near Botany Bay so your comments have no value.

    • Closing the beach would be very unfair to people who live nearby and to others who don’t come by car.

  2. It will only work if it is enforced. TDC will need to be patrolling the whole area on every single warm day otherwise it is totally pointless.

    • TDC need to review the whole area walpole bay have no toilets,apart from the blue container. that monday night people were going behind and doing their business, not acceptable at anytime, but even worse in lockdown spreading desease’s.
      we want visitors to thanet so provide adequate facilitates toilets parking ice cream huts etc this will give TDC revenue and locals jobs

  3. A parking permit scheme could work well, BUT WHY should the residents have to pay for it for heaven’s sake?
    Does their inflated council tax levy not pay for any ‘admin’ used in the tiny amount it takes to set the scheme in operation?
    Those residents should not be penalised any further!
    PS. I live in Ramsgate, so there is no personal interest in this matter.

    • Precisely quite why it costs 74 to issue a residents parking permit is beyond me, then wait until you have to enter the absurd system to purchase a visitors permit, its all designed to extract enough from the residents to cover the schemes cost rather than have to actually issue and recover penalties from those acting irresponsibly.

  4. totally agree that the parking has become dangerous to the extent that the emergency services could not get a vehicle to a residents house in the event of fire or medical emergency. people parking on the pavements and grass verges, wheel chair and prams cannot pass without going into the road.
    Single yellow lines down both sides of the roads with 1 hour max stay between 10.30 and 5.30pm??
    or residents parking only, which as already stated should be included within the roads concerned council tax.
    There are no direct business (except the beach cafe) which benefit from these visitors, who are leaving the beach and surrounding areas littered with their rubbish, which is causing vermin and in some cases these visitors are leaving “Human Waste” for the locals to “Clean up”.
    totally unsatisfactory situation. the council need to find an alternative parking arrangement, maybe the grass area outside palm bay school or opposite the Botany Bay Hotel, and charge an “All Day” parking charge of say £10.00 this would then be used as additional funds for staff to clean and police the beaches.
    The problem is the general public are lazy and do not wish to walk any further than a few yards. well maybe this will help the NHS by promoting exercise and cutting obesity?
    On the subject of funding, do TDC get a revenue from the filming that regularly takes place along these shores? if so where does this revenue go?

    • Why would visitors pay £10 and walk from Palm Bay when Botany Bay parking is free and nearer?

      That’s why it needs an RPS.

  5. No don’t close the beach, whats makes the residents in Botney Road oh so special that they want their own road to themselves then they should move to a private estate like I did. The beach was there long before the moaning residents. Who do they think they are.

  6. If Botney Bay is so popular in the summer months the council should explore the possibility of putting in a car park area and build a large cafe and toilet block on the beach. We are a HOLIDAY area and want to bring summer trade to our area. If the residents had any sense they would put a fridge out on their property and sell ice cold drinks like my nephew does in his narrow road where he lives in Devon. He has already made £2400 so far this summer in profit. As for drivers being rude to residents I guess it was the other way round if the truth was known.

  7. What about a parking area away from the roads and beach and a shuttle service.
    You could then charge a fee for parking and the shuttle service.

  8. We can all sit back chasing pie in the sky “solutions” or just deal in the real world.

    Residents have the bones of a solution. It’s at least a start.

    If they say no the nothing will change – and the armchair experts can then shut up complaining about a situation they refused to do anything about.

  9. Botany Bay is advertised in international airports & also listed as one of the world’s best beaches. Advertising is to attract visitors. It seems a very selfish attitude to now try to make it a locally private beach.
    Agreed parking needs to be managed but an hour’s visit to a beach in summer is hardly worthwhile, especially if one has kids, & all the paraphernalia to carry.

  10. I live in knockholt road and people need to understand if you live by the sea this s the price you pay don’t be so grumpy and let everyone enjoy the summer. If we let TDC charge us here where on earth will this end. Why don’t they just give out freed permits it is s money making game and a disgrace

  11. The proposed residents’ parking scheme will discriminate against residents who do not have the luxury of off road parking particularly those in Percy Avenue. Anyone having more than two cars will have to pay £1000 a year for each additional car. There will be far fewer parking bays and residents will not be allowed to park in front of their own driveways. Parking problems occur less than 15 days a year but the proposed scheme will be 24/7 every day of the year. The only ones to profit will be Thanet District Council who will rake in thousands!

  12. Why are the residents limited to two cars, in this day and age the children are usually still living at home and they usual have a car.
    If you live in an area that is recognized as a hot spot for mindless parking on busy days, then those who live there should get free residents parking permits OR they get six months of their council tax deducted or the houses re-assessed as clearly this inhibits the quality of life which those residents who pay more in the first place to enjoy, and they certainly cannot use the emergency services as proved that they cannot access these parts on these days.
    If the council cannot comply with sorting out alternative parking and maybe even organise a park and ride, then they cannot charge the residents for the privilege of living in their own homes

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