Agenda and draft minutes

Resolved: That all items on the agenda be web-cast.

There were no apologies.

There were no substitute Members.

Councillor Richard Ash and Councillor Malcolm Robertson indicated their wish to speak on Items 8 and 9.

There were no disclosures.

Resolved: That the items on the agenda be taken in public as proposed.

Resolved: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2012 be agreed as a correct record and duly signed by the Chairman.

Interviews with:

·  Steve Goulette, Assistant Director Environment and Regulatory Services; and

·  Jeff Kitson, Parking Services Manager.

Jeff Kitson, Parking Services Manager, and Steve Goulette, Assistant Director of Environment and Regulatory Services, gave an update on the Park and Ride figures for 2011/12 (presentation attached).

Councillor Robertson gave the view that town centre parking charges could be adjusted to encourage use of the Park and Ride service, however it was pointed out that Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) does not own all the car parking sites in the town centre and therefore cannot control all charges.  Cllr Robertson felt that the Allington to Willington Street ‘through’ Park and Ride Service was successful, and urged the Committee not to consider including a regular bus service in that Park and Ride service as previously trialled with the No. 71 Arriva bus.  He felt that contact should be made with Kent County Council (KCC) to discuss the Park and Ride service at Sittingbourne Road, which involves a costly rental charge, as he felt that this service is largely used by the KCC as a remote staff car park. Cllr Robertson felt that, if the Sittingbourne Road site was no longer used the usage would be redistributed to the other two sites.  He highlighted that there would be greater use of the Allington Park and Ride if the predicted number of houses are built in that area.  He felt that there was space at Allington and Willington Street to expand in the future.

Councillor Ross gave apologies for his late arrival and said that he felt that there would be problems with gridlock in the town, or people would not travel to the town centre, if the Park and Ride service should be reduced on Saturdays.  Jeff Kitson said that if consideration were to be given to reducing a Saturday service, the reduction would be distributed over the three sites.

Councillor Springett suggested that commuters using the motorway into Maidstone may be encouraged to use the Park and Ride service by the effective alteration of the structure of the town centre car park charges.  Jeff Kitson replied that the structure of charges was being looked at within the Parking Strategy, but to bear in mind that MBC did not own all of the town centre car parks.  Steve Goulette said that it was recognised that there would be 600 more cars travelling to town if one of the Park and Ride sites was closed.

Councillor English felt that the cost and frequency structure of alternative public transport should be considered when setting charges and that, at some point in the future, an alternative to the Sittingbourne Road site should be pursued to reduce the high cost presently incurred there.  Cllr English pointed out that there were some areas within walking distance of the town centre that can be used without parking restrictions.

The Chairman commented that as well as KCC staff parking at the Sittingbourne Road Park and Ride site, perhaps the MBC staff parking arrangements should be looked at.  Steve Goulette commented that there were ‘Travel to Work Plans’ in place  ...  view the full minutes text for item 112.

Councillor Ash highlighted some grammatical and spelling errors within the draft document.

Councillor Robertson, County Councillor and the official opposition spokesperson at KCC for Highways, thought that the Transport Forum had been useful in the past, with senior KCC officers attending.  He would be supporting the Forum being formed again.  Cllr Robertson wanted to discuss some of Chris Finch’s ideas in the report with KCC; he felt that KCC should have solved the problem of the Southern Approach road but did not agree with taking away the traffic lights at the junction with Medway Street and Fairmeadow because of the urban traffic management system. Cllr Robertson pointed out that there were a number of letters from the public complaining about being held up in traffic, in particular the London Road. He highlighted the fact that the traffic light sequence worked with the traffic management on the gyratory system.

With regard to Item 101, bullet point 3, page 2 of the Minutes of 31 January 2012, “… at the junctions of Buckland Hill, Leafy Lane and Queens Road with London Road be used as an example of where better information through the use of cameras and traffic sensors etc. would assist the staff in the Traffic Control Centre …”; Cllr Robertson pointed out that a camera had been in place there for around eighteen months. 

Cllr Beerling stressed that MBC had not received support from KCC Highways and they did not respond to requests to attend meetings; Cllr Robertson suggested that a letter explaining this situation should be sent to the KCC Cabinet Member, Cllr Sweetland, and the Leader of the KCC, Cllr Paul Carter. The Chairman hoped that circulation of the completed report would enable all concerned to realise that the Borough and the County Council should work ‘hand-in-glove’.

Resolved:

a.  That the following amendment be agreed:

Page 8:- 

“That a platform be found to enable dialogue between public transport providers and users”.

b.  That feedback be given to the public regarding the comments received from them included in the document and that they b informed that the traffic light sequence causing queues in the approaches to the town is designed to relieve the pressure of traffic and improve air quality within the town.

c.  That wording be drafted from bullet points 4 and 5 of item 101 of the Minutes of the meeting held on 31 January 2012 and included in the Report at Page 11. 

d.  That the wording on Page 8 of the report referring to ‘Operation Stack’ be redrafted and strengthened. 

e.  That the Chairman and Vice Chairman redraft the document and circulate it electronically to enable comments to be considered in advance of the Agenda with a view to the next meeting being conclusive.

To view the web-cast of this meeting, please go to:-

http://clients.westminster-digital.co.uk/maidstone/player2.aspx?EventID=2764

The Committee considered the future work programme.  It was noted that the draft Museum Business Plan would be considered at the next meeting on 27 March 2012.

Resolved:

·  To leave a discussion regarding the Integrated Transport Strategy: Public Consultation report until after it had been reviewed at the Task and Finish Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

·  To keep the Tourism item for the 25 April 2012 meeting.

6.30pm to 8.15pm.