Three parked cars were ‘written off’ last night (December 27) when they were hit by a vehicle in Birchington.
The cars were severely damaged in Park Lane at around 5.45pm. The vehicle that collided with them also suffered major damage.
Kent Police attended the incident and enquiries are ongoing.
Resident Marie Simmons is one of those whose car was smashed in the collision.
She said: “I have a 78 year old husband who has dementia and health issues and now no transport in an emergency. It’s our lifeline.
“It means I won’t be picking up our grandchildren and won’t be able to run them home. It is just the total stress of it.
“I had my drive widened as school times are a nightmare to find parking on street and it is not that I believe I have a right to park outside my house, just that inconsiderate people park either side of the drive more often than not.
“Driving out of the drive is quite scary when drivers don’t adhere to speed limit. I would normally have parked on the drive but unfortunately I didn’t last night.
“I’m still waiting for my insurance company to reply to me. It’s just something that needn’t have happened.”
Birchington councillor Phil Fellows said he and fellow ward councillors are trying to find a solution to erratic “driving in Park Lane/Quex/Brunswick area.”
He added: “I have submitted a motion to Birchington Parish Council to get them to request KCC to immediately implement traffic restrictions at the Brunswick/Park Lane junctions. This is after recent multi car collisions at this dangerous turning.
“But we have to be realistic in what’s achievable here. We are all well aware of the current financial strife that KCC are in. Expensive schemes are not going to happen full stop.
“It’s easy for everyone to say put chicanes in and humps and bumps but firstly we need to get KCC to admit there is an issue which they seem reluctant to do as it will cost them money. We have to try to see if we can get some easy low-cost fixes and move up from there.
“Doing nothing is not an option. It’s been talked about far too many times. It really is time for action before we see a fatality here.
“My motion is: ‘I ask my fellow Parish councillors to support BPC in a request to KCC that they immediately explore traffic calming measures in Park Lane Birchington. At a minimum this should be a 20 mph speed limit approaching the Brunswick Road junction.’
“It maybe necessary to ask for public support in due course by way of petitions.”
Police enquiries
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 5.45pm on Wednesday 27 December to a report of a collision involving a car and a number of parked cars on Park Lane, Birchington.
“Officers attended and enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.
The road remained open and there were no reported injuries.”
This road is a nightmare, drivers coming towards Birchington after the school do not give way and expect you to pull over close to parked cars so they can get passed although they are on the wrong side of the road and you have the right of way. It is about time that the police did some thing about these drivers that ignore the rules of the road.
There’s no such thing as ‘right of way’ while driving. There’s only ‘priority’, which can’t be taken, it can only be given.
Birchington ,the town / village that keeps giving ,I put town because it either no1 or 2 biggest village in Engand,in reality it’s a town
It’s a village, as it doesn’t have a town hall (and Fordwich is a town, as it does have a town hall).
Officially a town is somewhere ,with a population of between 7500 and 145000, above that that higher figure its a city.As Birchington now has a population of over 10000, ergo a town.
Westgate had a town hall ,built free of charge for them,but turned it down ,the words town hall are still on the building i think.oh! by the way it’s now a very good cinema complex,which I use all the time
Amazes me that some idiots are more concerned at having a pop at the innocent people who have lost their cars, then the a$$hole driver who was speeding!
Basically sums up the problems in this day and age!
Fordwich is a town because of an historical anomaly.It has a Town hall and so does Winchelsea, which is an ‘antient town’ and part of the Cinque ports confederation.They were Towns in the medieval period, but now their population has diminished.Sandwich is a similar case with a population of 5,000. Birchington has to be greater than that, so it is conceit to suggest a piece of mainly 20th century ribbon development is a village, but if Lily the Pink thinks it is a village why not let her remain in her blissful sense of ignorance.
Why the rudeness, old boy?
Ms Pink – because he is an ignorant clown spending all day on a computer with an opinion on everything. A wind up merchant
Thank you for your comments.I note your erudite opinions based on a profound knowledge of life, the universe and everything.
The 2021 census states that Birchington has a population of 10321.I would suggest that some rethinking is needed in the suburb of Birchington.
Phil Fellows “KCC are reluctant to spend money” his quote was along similar lines? Why are they reluctant Phil Fellows? It is very easy, the Government you support have slashed KCCs spending by millions £s = Clod!!
I would just like to reassure Marie Simmons that were some serious medical condition to overwhelm her husband, she should phone 999 and not worry about getting her car out and driving to the hospital.
And, as she’s gone to the trouble and expense of creating an off-road parking facility, shouldn’t she be using it?
Thousands upon thousands of people in Thanet (& the country!) have turned their front gardens into car parks. This means many cannot see traffic coming if someone has parked on the road close to the entrance of their driveway. There is no easy answer to this, because I do not see why the tax payer should have to pay to install double yellow lines on roads that are presently free parking! In any case, if double yellow lines are installed so people can drive out of their front gardens more safely, where will the cars at present parked on the road, go? The future lies in electic Mobility Scooters, like mine!
No I am not being rude,just wearied by the constant use of fake or partial truths.
The car and it’s universal dominance of the streets of Britain creates similar problems up and down the nation Some homeowners have taken up the municipal car park design for their front gardens which if not done so as to allow for drainage,adds to the problems of flooding and climate change.Not using permeable surfaces can lead to a planning enforcement issue.
Then we look at the car and the rights of the motorist.A motorist has no more rights than other road users, and the latest version of the Highway code seeks to temper the Toad of Toad hall activities of some motorists.No, you do not have a right to park outside your house, but where there is a drop kerb parking across the entrance is obstruction.
Scotland is now joining London in legislating against parking on pavements,double parking and bad parking.When will such measures reach darkest Thanet? Probably,never, and we will continue to live in a motoring hell of our own making.
Mr Fellows – I respectively suggest to you a 20mph speed limit will not make a jot of difference to this location. As installed in Acol, a series of substantial speed bumps installed on road in both directions will be more effective in reducing speed of cars travelling in/out of Birchington. Regarding funding, perhaps some of Birchington precept can be directed towards resolving this situation.
FedupB have you forgotten about 4x4s and SUVs? Speed bumps are not effective with them.Yes, KCC might install speed bumps if they are of a mind to do so,but it might mean at least a £10k contribution from Birchington. Do you think that is likely?
If you build the speed bumps too high,Buses and Trucks may be damaged is that OK?
Mr Nokes – No I have not forgotten about such vehicles. I suggest you take a look at Acol and you will see all vehicles slow down. I would also suggest that clowns charging around and causing mayhem are not drivers of such vehicles. I have no doubt BPC will look at a contribution if it’s required. As for your ridiculous comment regarding buses and trucks, I suggest you get out more and observe speed restriction bumps in action around Thanet!
It must be a real trial being so knowledgeable about ACOL.It makes pylon spotting seem extremely absorbing.
If getting out means hanging around ACOL and Birchington,I will give it a miss.
Knowing Birchington PC quite well, I think your expectation of funding to be one of hope over experience.