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Joint Transportation Boards

To:�� Maidstone Joint Transportation Board

By:�� Tim Read, Head of Transportation

Date:�� 15^th April 2015

Subject:�� �� Armstrong Road, Waiting Restrictions

Classification:�� For Decision

Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide members with a report on proposed changes to waiting restrictions in Armstrong Road, Maidstone

1. Background

Following the development of the former Maidstone Borough Council depot in Enterprise Road proposals for waiting restrictions on Armstrong Road were originally proposed in 2013. At that time a number of objections were received. Subsequently a number of alterations to the proposals previously advertised have been made in consultation with both Local Members and District Councillors

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2. Proposed Alterations

Following discussions with elected representatives the proposals shown in Appendix 2 were advertised on Friday 6^th February 2015

3. Objections and Support

We received six objections from a mix of local residents and local businesses, stakeholders. These are attached in Appendix 1

4. Officers recommendation

The limited off street parking in Armstrong Road is frequently over capacity and this does lead to extensive and sometimes obstructive on street parking. �Local Members and Councillors have been proactive in seeking to address these issues and the proposals as advertised are felt to offer a sensible compromise.� Whilst there have not been any recent reported crashes due to obstructive parking, keeping clear sightlines at junctions and accesses as well as the approach to a zebra crossing are felt to be essential.

Contact Officer: Michael Heath

Tel: 03000 418181

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Appendix 1

Objections Armstrong Road, waiting restrictions

To whom this may concern,

It has come to my attention that the council plans to paint the north and south side of the road with double yellow lines. As a long term resident of the area, life time member at the local health club this is a ridiculous idea and I am contacting you today to register my dismay at what is being suggested. Where are we supposed to park? Please can you explain to me what benefits there are to cutting us all off from this parking and access facility?

Yours faithfully,

I want to make it known that I don't want double yellow lines along Armstrong Road in Maidstone. I am a resident that lives off Forest Hill just round the corner from Armstrong Road. I use the Bob Prowse Gym and South Park with my grand children and I also use the all weather hockey pitch with the alternative curriculum school that I run. All these are in Armstrong Road.
Armstrong Road has a lot of sports and healthy facilities and is loved by many people. The weekends see football and hockey taking place. All good healthy stuff.
I do not think that double yellow lines will make the area any safer as the incidents in the road as far as pedestrians are cornered are probably nil. I would like you to inform me of the number of accidents concerning pedestrians please.
I am concerned that motorists are being pushed out in to far more dangerous places to park and if you look at the bottom of Forest Hill (CourtenayRoad) down to Old Tovil Road the parking situation is awful because yellow lines have forced people to move to park there half on the pavement. It is also difficult for two cars to pass.
I look forward to hearing from you with the answer to my question.

Regards,

FAO: The Traffic Schemes and Member Highway Fund Manager.

I wish to object to the proposed �Waiting Restrictions Variation No. 18 Order 2015� proposed along Armstrong Road, Maidstone.

As the tenant of Bob Prowse Health Club located within the building identified on the scheme drawings as �Armstrong Hall� I am well aware of the day to day parking and vehicle movements in this location.

Bob Prowse Health Club is privately owned health club with two directors, Paul Slythe and Ian Sage. They have been trading in this location since 1981. They currently have circa 350 members and cater for all needs.

We at Restoring Health Ltd, a small local business, also trade within these premises

Accordingly I would like the following matters to be considered / addressed.

� Waiting / parking restrictions along Armstrong Road will have a significant detrimental effect on my business. It is a fundamental factor that my clients are able to park close to the gym. If my members are forced to park away from the gym and onto local side streets in Tovil, I am certain I would lose crucial business. As the gym is open until10pm on weekdays, the safety of my members would also be a great concern for me.

� The use of the South Park astroturf pitch draws many people to a well-used facility. The facility is greatly used by Maidstone Hockey Club and local 5 aside football leagues amongst others. Forcing users to park away from this facility will in fact intensify the danger of people circulating the area and residential roads to find unsuitable parking locations. Such people will then be forced to cross Armstrong Road to reach the facility which they currently do not have to do. The facility is flood-lit and also in use until 10pm on week nights.

� Waiting / Parking restrictions will mean that users of the gym, South Park all-weather pitch and other local facilities will be forced to first try and find a parking space in the small car park located off of Armstrong Road in South Park. This car park has limited spaces and is for users of the playground and sports fields adjacent, forcing additional people into this car park will have a detrimental effect on the park and it�s usability for its intended use.

The reasons given for the proposal are misleading and I comment on these as follows;

��to avoid the danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising��

- The introduction of restrictions will not stop the road being used but will in fact intensify the danger of people circulating the area and residential roads to find unsuitable parking locations, as detailed above. Such people will then be forced to cross Armstrong Road to reach their destination.

- People will be leaving the local facilities after 10pm and having to walk along residential roads in Tovil to get back to their vehicles.

��or for preserving the amenities of the area through which this road runs��

- Good access to South Park, South Park astroturf pitch, Bob Prowse Heath Club and our business will preserve their amenity. Restricted parking will have detrimental effects on all of these local amenities which are well used by the local community as well as others from further away.

- The amenity of residential properties, located nearby are currently not effected by the current parking arrangement and use of the road. The proposed waiting / parking restrictions will force people using the facilities to park along local residential roads which will not only cause localised traffic problems but also noise issues late at night and early in the morning.

I believe the proposal is misguided and is trying to resolve a problem which does not currently exist whilst creating problems in other areas. The proposal will seriously affect my business and other businesses and amenities in the locality. It could also generate serious displacement parking in local residential streets and cause public crossing issues.

Please can you confirm if a safety audit has been undertaken and if so how many incidents have been reported which these proposals would had stopped?

Due to all of the above points I would again like to strongly object to the proposal.

I also add that schedule 3 detailing prescribed hours for the parking restrictions was not provided in this consultation.

Regards

FAO: The Traffic Schemes and Member Highway Fund Manager.

Following the letter received on 02/02/15 from Robert Fletcher, I wish to object to the proposed �Waiting Restrictions Variation No. 18 Order 2015� proposed along Armstrong Road, Maidstone.

As the owner of Bob Prowse Health Club located within the building identified on the scheme drawings as �Armstrong Hall� I am well aware of the day to day parking and vehicle movements in this location.

Bob Prowse Health Club is privately owned health club with two directors, Paul Slythe and myself, Ian Sage. We have been trading in this location since 1981. We currently have circa 350 members and cater for all needs. Within the same building, Restoring Health Ltd, a small local business also trade.

Accordingly I would like the following matters to be considered / addressed.

� Waiting / parking restrictions along Armstrong Road will have a significant detrimental effect on my business. It is a fundamental factor that my clients are able to park close to the gym, as they have been doing since the gym opened in 1981. If my members are forced to park away from the gym and onto local side streets in Tovil, I am certain I would lose crucial business. As the gym is open until 10pm on weekdays, the safety of my members would also be a great concern for me.

� I have spoken with both Maidstone Hockey Club and users of the astroturf pitch including Football Mundial who also strongly oppose the proposed double yellow lines and feel this would have a significant detrimental effect on their business and therefore the local community.

The reasons given for the proposal are misleading and I comment on these as follows;

��to avoid the danger to persons or other traffic using the road or any other road or preventing the likelihood of any such danger arising��

- People will be leaving the local facilities after 10pm and having to walk along residential roads in Tovil to get back to their vehicles.

��or for preserving the amenities of the area through which this road runs��

- Good access to South Park, South Park astroturf pitch and Bob Prowse Heath Club will preserve their amenity. Restricted parking will have detrimental effects on all of these local amenities which are well used by the local community as well as others from further away.

Please can you confirm if a safety audit has been undertaken and if so how many incidents have been reported which these proposals would had stopped?

Due to all of the above points I would again like to strongly object to the proposal.

I also add that schedule 3 detailing prescribed hours for the parking restrictions was not provided in this consultation.

Regards

I understand that you propose to have double yellow lines all along Armstrong Road preventing parking for Gym and sports ground members. The alternative parking is to be pay and display over the road. Having been a Gym member for over 30 years I would like it known that this is most unfair to everybody. The road is plenty wide enough and it is not for health and safety reasons-just financial. I feel that this will effect members choice of which gym to join as it will be an added expense to them if parking has to be paid for. Also the car park over the road does not have enough spaces for peak times, especially if there is any sort of match on..

I would please ask that these restrictions are not brought into force

I object to the increase in double yellow lines along Armstrong road in Maidstone. There is not a safety issue as the current parking dose not obstruct the free flow of traffic in either direction. Parking along Armstong road is essential for the community to have a healthy life style, the two parks have tennis, football matches and children's play areas. The hockey club hosts matches with two or more away teams and Bob Prows gym can have numerous customers all needing to park in this area. The car park is useful, but is not always adequate, especially at the weekends.

Armstong road sports facilities provide vital affordable access to exercise for the surrounding areas, some of which are areas of high social deprivation. The Government has committed itself to supporting good access to affordable exercise for all, especial those from disadvantaged backgrounds.This exercise improves public health and so reduces the financial burden for the NHS.

Please reconsider this poorly researched idea to increase unnecessarily the double yellow line parking restrictions along Armstrong road Maidstone.

Thank you for your kind attention

District nurse for Shepway, Loose, Mangravet and Parkwood.