Thanet council Cabinet members have approved the adoption of a Thanet Parking Strategy that includes measures ranging from introducing car club schemes, operating bike and e-scooter hire schemes and working with bus operators on serving future “last mile” micro mobility hubs and integrated car parks, including Park & Ride.
The decision to create a strategy for parking in Thanet began with a motion tabled at Full Council in 2022 by Councillor Helen Crittenden, which called for an impact assessment of the increased pressures on parking caused by ongoing developments within the district.
The review and drafting of the strategy started at the end of January 2024. Initial engagement events began in February 2024 which included sessions with councillors, a public drop in and a survey. Some 2000 people responded and provided feedback on where they thought the areas of improvement were and what they’d like to see in a parking strategy for Thanet. A second wave of consultation meant the total response was from around 5,000 people.
The 20 year strategy contains 52 actions across off street and on street parking The actions have been categorised as quick wins, short, medium and long term with regard to implementation.
Focus will initially be on quick wins with the short, medium and long term actions being programmed over the duration of the strategy.
Quick win actions to take place over the next 12 months include developing car park zones and reviewing the names of car parks, creation of a car park signage strategy to include variable message signage, redevelopment of parking webpages, feasibility study of delivering coach parking bays in key car parks across Thanet, development of an electric vehicle strategy, review and update resident permit scheme and preparing a bike hanger policy.
The council will also undertake car club feasibility study to introduce schemes in car parks and on street, introduce further EV parking, and review the capacity of taxi provision.
The strategy also says: “On the basis of the available evidence that existing parking demand remains broadly within existing capacity, there is no immediate justification for raising charges across the board.
“There may however be some limited justification for amendment of taris in individual car parks to encourage the relocation of longer-stay parking activity towards more peripheral car parks thereby freeing up space in more central car parks for shorter-stay parking activity.”
A report to councillors says later stages of the strategy have “significant cost implications.”
Quick win schemes will be paid for from existing budgets but there will later be the need for some external funding and requests will be made for capital funding and revenue budget growth bids. The money raised from parking charges after all costs are considered will be placed in a fund (Special Parking Area) to be used for projects.
Thanet council’s parking strategy aims to ensure there is appropriately located parking that supports economic development and regeneration, prioritising active and sustainable transport.
Other actions earmarked to take place between one and two years include:
- Create short-stay, and long-stay car parks based on outcome of spatial zoning of car parks
- Install safe secure bicycle parking facilities in car parks
- Implement bike hire and e-scooter hire schemes in car parks and dense areas
- Use an agent to identify land parcels for future car parks within Thanet outside urban centres
- Identify locations where short-term parking bays can be installed
Across two to five years plans include:
- Introduce pay on exit payment system in suitable car parks
- Implement measures to allow motorhomes to use car parks overnight
- Liaise with bus operators on serving future “last mile” micro mobility hubs and integrated car parks (including Park & Ride).
- Remove redundant or derelict garage blocks to increase availability of on-street parking in residential areas
Long term plans taking 5+ years include:
- Implement new integrated car parks near strategic road network serviced with high quality public transport and micro-mobility options to encourage visitors to avoid travelling into urban centres
- Construct new car park for appropriate sites when required.
Cabinet agreed to fix a five year review of the Parking Strategy.
Portfolio holder for Parking, Cllr Kristian Bright, says in an introduction to the strategy: “Thanet District Council recognises that parking is an important subject to our residents. That’s why the council commissioned Ethos to carry out a full review and write a long-term strategy for parking across the isle.
“The council also created a new portfolio within the cabinet to drive this work and its subsequent outcomes. I’ve been delighted to work with oicers in this capacity since May 2024.
“The decision to carry out this work has been fully justified by the scale of the response to this summer’s survey on parking in Thanet, conducted by Ethos, which saw over 2,500 individuals respond.
“Here in Thanet, parking poses several challenges. Some, like the increase in volume and size of cars trying to find space in narrow Victorian streets, are commonly found throughout the country.
“Others, such as the mass influx of summer visitors to our beautiful bays, are more specific. Left unchecked, these challenges will become yet another facet of modern life that adds to our collective stress.
“This strategy sets out ways that Thanet District Council can overcome these challenges by making optimal use of the tools available and by taking a user-centric approach to our decision-making. This means that while continuing to prioritise the safety of pedestrians and all road-users alike, we’ll aim to make the whole process of finding somewhere convenient to park, as positive an experience as possible.
“Perhaps more excitingly, is that this strategy aims at future-proofing the provision of parking in Thanet, rather than simply aiming to meet the expectations of today.
“Among the many other outcomes, improving wayfinding, car park environments, providing greater access to EV charging and encouraging active travel, can all have a positive impact on the day-to-day parking experience for our residents, businesses and visitors.
“Of course – not everything can be done at once, but I’m delighted that officers have identified a series of ‘quick wins’ for early implementation in 2025. Ultimately, the success of this strategy will only be realised with its implementation, but with such clear direction, I have every confidence in this council’s ability to deliver.”
Impressive and very hopeful
E-scooter usage should be discouraged, not made available for hire.
Awful things-though haven’t seen that many in recent times. Think the craze has pretty much worn off, in Thanet at least.
Sadly, there are several regulars who zoom up and down the pavemnts in Birchington and Westgate.
As someone who uses pavements quite a lot on my Mobility Scooter, I suffer near death experiences most days from E-Scooters, and bikes riding on the pavement! I have contacted the Chief Constable for Kent, and other agencies about this menace, without any positive response! My solution would be to licence both the bikes, and scooters so they have Number Plates, which they can only obtain if the machine is insured! Whats so difficult about that? Once the rider knows they can be identified, and receive a fine etc, then they will stop their anti-social behaviour!
Mobility scooters can be more of a danger than e scooters.
They’re also more essential.
I thought it was illegal to use them on the roads?
I googled it… it’s illegal to use privately owned e-scooters, but not if they’re from a council-approved hire scheme!
Oh! Well now I know.
Thank you Peter
Right try again, I was replying to Ducs, when this page had a hissing fit! Mobility Scooters are legal, and mine is insured for 3rd party liability. They are governed to 4 mph on pavements and 8 mph on the road. The roads are more dangerous than pavements, but the problem is getting on and off them because of poor or non existent dropped kerbs, or people parking over them.
Do something about pavement parkers.
be great to see a parking bay outside my house has being d8sabled my family or taxis can’t even park to pick me up to take me appointments its a nightmare especially when 3 or more cars belong to several houses along my Rd it don’t seen fair
If there was a disabled bay outside your house, it wouldn’t be “your” parking spot.
Anyone with a blue badge could park there.
You can apply to have a disabled bay out outside your home. It costs £200. It isn’t however designated for your sole usage, any blue badge holder can then use it.
Must admit I was surprised to see an option of hiring E-scooters being considered when Central Government is considering banning them. Hopefully this is either a misprint or some attempt to register and licence them but they are a menace on pavements and a serious danger in the roads.
I’m relatively fit and healthy, and I’ve had a couple of near misses with them. So they must be terrifying for the infirm, the elderly, the deaf and the blind. Maybe Kathy can ask Christine Tongue’s thoughts on this proposal?
Actually, these e-scooters are a menace to everybody. They’re invariably invisible and inaudible, so it matters not whether you have good eyesight or good hearing, we’re all vulnerable.
Of course, though some perhaps more than others.
E-Scooters ,haven’t TDC learnt anything, so many pedestrians are hurt because of them so TDC want to approve the use of them ,it’s bloody hard to get along footpaths because of vehicles parked on them ,now you are going to let E-Scooters as well as parked vehicles on the footpath, bloody stupid. Must be a back hander in it somewhere 🤔
Look on the bright side.
If cars parked on pavements hinder pedestrians, they’ll hinder e-scooters, too.
Andrew, cars parked on pavements are a blight for people on Mobility Scooters too! And when they park over dropped kerbs, one did this last week deliberately blocking a dropped kerb, when he saw me coming on my Mobility Scooter, he then gave me a mouthful of filth as well! Whats wrong with people who do this, they are street bully’s, and sad pathetic losers!
Not once was more parking spaces considered for disabled people. Park and ride will not solve the volume of cars around Westwood and schools these problems have been by all the Housing developments around Thanet and not day trippers
I attended a drop-in session. The consultants did not fill me with any great hope of practical improvement. Most ideas were pie-in-the-sky concepts unsuitable for Thanet. Any 20-year strategy will probably survive no longer than a few years. Apparently, we should be “delighted that officers have identified a series of ‘quick wins’ for early implementation in 2025.” However these 8 quick wins are:
1. Developing car park zones (?)
2. Reviewing names of car parks (!?)
3. Create a strategy for car park signage (!)
4. Look at the feasibility of coach parking in car parks
5. Redevelopment of web parking pages
6. Developing an EV strategy
7. Review residential permits and
8. Preparing a bike hanger policy.
I’m not sure what the first is but, of the other quick wins, there are 2 reviews, a feasibility study, 2 more strategies, some web pages to be redeveloped and a policy to be prepared. So, no practical improvements to parking in year one.
As usual, this sounds like consultants recommending more work for consultants!
A “bike hanger” locker was erected near Birchington station a year or so back. I walk past it almost daily, and I’ve yet to see even ONE bike in it.
Not sure what a Bike Hanger is, but if it means hoicking a bike up on its rear wheel, and padlocking it, then there is the problem with idiots rocking the bike so it buckles the wheel(s). Thats why the ‘D’ type bike racks are better. I had to give up my bike not long ago, after 30 odd years, when I was left severely unstable after my 5th Covid jab! Many years ago, when I was a member of the Thanet Cycle Forum, I managed to have KCC install a couple of the ‘D’ type bike racks outside Wilko in Ramsgate, by KCC who used to send a Representative to out meetings. The racks were going spare, and then KCC stopped their Rep attending our meetings, to save money, Duurh!
Very much my thoughts, a lot of waffle and wordage to make it look as though things are happening, but will largely just be desk bound paper exercises.
Provision of charging points needs to be part of a nationally agreed / funded/ standardised design/ known cost structure project , not a “ we think this is best” which then necomes obsolete in no time.
The current resident parking system for permits could be improved by a deaf , blind and lame dog.
Repainting the parking in restricted areas as “bay parking” would by itself increase actual capacity.
Little or no chance of TDC adopting a no pavement parking policy as then cars would clog the roads to such a degree either more yellow lines would be needed or traffic is severely impeded.
I think it actually says ‘motorhome’ parking, not ‘coach’ parking.. unless I missed that bit! I think that is probably a good idea since both St Midreds Bay and Barnes Car Parks currently allow motorhome parking overnight.. and possible others.. Minnis Bay for instance!?
All designed for councilors to have more meetings (with attendance allowance) and consultancy fees (paid from council taxes) Smoke and mirrors yet again. Never enough money left from the budget to actually carry out the projects. Hasn’t changed in 50 years.
There is zero difference between a e scooter or an e bike….or an e mobility scooter for that matter. Plenty of ol’ fellas on the later two. Luddites me thinks.
Difference is, disability scooters are often the disabled’s only way of getting out of their houses to shops, doctors, etc. I’m not against ebikes on roads, though as I’m in my 60s and can still use pedal power to get across Thanet, why can’t most other people?
Might be an idea to sort out the holes and trip points on the pavements first?
Andy D
I agree, most of the quick wins are not quick. I also agree scooter hire is a ridiculous idea.
Quick wins should be
1. Enforce all schools and car driving students of Thanet schools to buy a permit for one of the Isles many underused car parks. Rather than staff and students clogging up Ramsgate roads daily.
2. Create a Community Parking Zone for the whole of Ramsgate. With a flat £100 fee for all residents.
3. Recruit to all vacant enforcement officer roles. Recruit directly rather than Farming them out to an agency who appear to be unable to fill the posts. Let us park aside why on earth would TDC need to use a commercial agency for these roles.
4. Knock down Leopold St car park.
5. Create permitted motorhome parking on Western Undercliff where many currently park for free.
6. Reduce town centre parking fees as a consequence of resident permit fee income.
7. Sell the Leopold St land and use the income to install EV charging points.
8. Knock down Mill Lane car park. I don’t drive, but evry driver I know tells me they refuse to use it as it’s too dirty and unsafe.
9. Ensure that ALL public footpaths are fully maintained and open. The one that linked Margate seafront to the High Street has been closed for years, while the one from near Minster roundabout to Acol is totally blocked.
10. Clean glass off the cycle paths that are alongside main roads. Every time there’s an accident on the A229, the glass gets swept onto the path (I once got two punctures on a 1 mile stretch!).
I think you mean the A299, Thanet Way? Agreed! No idea why the Herne Bay to St Nicks roundabout section is so erratic and badly maintained. I don’t think any parts are actually missing just not managed/maintained.
That’s the one! As a non-driver, I’m useless with road names/numbers.
What is a car club ?
It’s a means of sharing a car with the rest of the neighourhood. Works well for people who need a car for only an hour or so a week.
https://www.zipcar.com
Took part in surveys most agreed free parking in town centres at weekends or two other days to help local shops, anything on that ? No! rename Car Parks, anything on upgrading existing car parks? No! provide bike racks great in our British weather Mum and Dad doing their weekly shop in the supermarket filling saddle bags. Didn’t matter what people suggested, waste of time and effort as usual. 5 year plan will be a 20 year wait.
What about free buses instead of free parking?
It would give an unfair advantage to those on bus routes, whereas people in the more remote Kent villages (that often have NO buses and NO shops) rely on cars the most.
Some enlightened European cities are doing just that.
What, giving an unfair advantage to those who live on well-served bus routes? Hardly “enlightened”.
All talk, more money spent on consultations and in the end, nothing.
John558 – spot on – another load of wind/waffle from TDC – when will these clowns learn and face up to todays problems!
There will be a need for P&R. Not big buses but fifteen seaters and on a regular service. And how about free parking in the P&R until evening then revert to a pay park and normal bus services . No electric scooters. Nothing wrong with them just the idiots that use them. Also there should be more one way streets with nose first parking on one side and yellow lines on the other plus a sensible speed control system.
In 2023 ebikes and scooters were a cause of 52 incidents. Other vehicles accounted for 5300 incidents in Kent.ebikes do cause fatalities and injuries but as many in charging the things as using them.
Hire bikes,escooters and ebikes need to be regulated,as do mobility scooters because I have seen those used inappropriately.If they are being used on the road they should be plated,taxed and checked like any other motorised vehicle.
I agree with much of this policy document and especially with park and ride.When are those advocating free parking going to learn.The motor vehicle is the cause of congestion and pollution in town centres,not escooters,not cyclists,buses or pedestrians.For our own health and wellbeing we need to leave the car at home or outside of the town centre.
I doubt if any of this will be implemented by TDC, not because of lack of will, but because TDC will most likely not exist within the remaining life time of this council period.
(a) Where would the park and ride go, and (b) where would it be based?
Canterbury has limited parking, so in theory park & ride is a good idea – but even there, it is very underused. The main shopping centre in Thanet has ample free parking. So why would anyone want to drive only partially there and then jump on a bus – and even if they did, they could easily park their cars on a side street for free in (say) Westgate or Cliftonville, and then jump on a normal bus. So, much as it’s a good idea in other areas, park & ride will never work in Thanet.
There is no such thing as “free” parking at, for example, WWX.
The land used for car parking attracts business rates. The road surface needs repairing and maintaining. The lighting costs money.
And I’m pretty sure that the shareholders don’t pick up the tab.
At the end of the day, everyone who shops at WWX stores pays.
Including those who don’t use motor vehicles to get there.
In that case, people should use what they’re paying for instead of getting buses.
Park n ride could be based at a huge unused old airport. It’s central to thanet and could serve all the towns
“central to Thanet”? It is mostly surrounded by small villages, with the bigger places (apart from WC) on the coastal areas.
George?
Why are we putting all our eggs in one basket ? Electric cars ?
I don’t want an electric car they are not green
The carbon footprint to build one is huge. The cars weigh twice as much as real cars this means they do more damage to the roads yet don’t pay road tax towards the damage they cause. You can only do half your journey and need to spend time sitting at a service station as you recharge. These charging stations take up two parking bays. Who is going to buy a second hand electric car when you need a new battery after 10 years costing thousands, there is no second hand market for them.
Than these electric car use moan about building a new plant on minster marshes to supply the electricity for their cars lol.
Hydrogen is the way to go
Hydrogen has a number of problems.
It is very rare to find natural hydrogen. It has to be manufactured.
One process involves reacting natural gas with steam. But a byproduct of this is CO2.
Alternatively, hydrogen can be produced by the electrolysis of water. But this requires huge amounts of electricity. We still produce about half our electricity from gas powered conventional powerstations, producing vast amounts of CO2.
Having produced the hydrogen, then safe ways of storing and transporting it must be found. Because hydrogen is so light, it had a nasty habit of leaking.
And because it’s so reactive, it has an even nastier habit of exploding.
Hydrogen is not the way to go.
Better public transport is, for most of us, the way forward.
It seems TDC have found yet another way to make Thanet a ***** place to live. More likely they see scooter hire as yet another avenue to make money… only to be squandered on supporting the impoorted dross.
It seems TDC have found yet another way to make Thanet a rubbish place to live. More likely they see scooter hire as yet another avenue to make money… only to be squandered on supporting the imported dross.
Alex Peters- Who or what is “the imported dross”?
Lots of talk about car parks and hardly any talk about improving residential parking which is a disgrace in this county. I’ve never seen anywhere like it, it’s a parking free for all with cars and trucks of all sizes allowed to park anywhere they want along all residential streets and pavements. I’m happy to see none of this is being addressed in this new policy!
Also, no to e-scooters. Everyone knows those are a terrible idea at this point.
How would you improve residential parking?
The street where I live is an Edwardian terrace. There’s enough room outside each has to park one average car.
Most people in the street have two or more vehicles. Some are huge SUVs, people carriers and work’s vans.
What would your solution be?
Alternate on street parking on a weekly basis red line one week and green another to allow for street cleaning and weeding.
Residential parking permits for one and require larger trucks and vans to park in underused car parks in or around the town rather than allow them to take up the space of 2 or 3 cars on a narrow Victorian street. And to actually enforce these things by assigning parking inspectors around the residential areas.
Learnt a lot from reading these comments. Agree this proposal does seem like a load of badly-thought-out waffle. If only Thanet Council could just do one positive thing, something carefully considered and costed, and do it well …. And can anyone explain to me why re-naming car parks is a ‘quick win action’? (I get the ‘quick’ bit in theory, though it’ll undoubtedly take up quite a lot of councillors’ time).
Within two years, they intend to “Use an agent to identify land parcels for future car parks within Thanet outside urban centres”. Not sure that I understand why car parks might be needed outside urban centres.
Builders and trades should have to have a permit. Like in every other town or city with a parking zone, properly managed.
In Thanet our streets are filled to the brim with trades vehicles parked or school staff or pupils all parking for free.
Nowhere in this strategy do I feel that residents are at the core and yet TDC exists to deliver for residents. Residential parking could be hugely improved by a general parking zone, visitor and trade permits and business permits. When parking zones were introduced on Nelson Crescent in Ramsgate it simply shoved all the free parking back a few streets who became crammed.
TDC could also stop approving the conversion of enormous properties into flats. And then assuming people buying a flat won’t have a car or will be delighted to commute on the bus.
Reading the above comments are the same comments that was said in the “ history of transportation” book when motor vehicles were replacing horses. Like all forms transport vehicles it’s not the vehicle that can be dangerous it’s the person driving it. E.scooters are no more dangerous than any other vehicle if they are used responsibly. The car parking fees in Thanet are one of the highest in the U.K. seaside towns. I travel extensively throughout the UK and Europe every year on business traffic management in THANET needs a lot of improvement compared to the rest of the UK and Europe.
They’re illegal.
On yer bike!