Parish Council statement in response to DDC Parking Strategy at DDC Overview & Scrutiny Committee

The following statement submitted by St Margaret’s Parish Council is being ready by Cllr Oliver Richardson at DDC Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Monday 10th November 2025. Thank you to those who have written in support directly to Cllr Lynne Wright email: cllr-lynne.wright@dover.gov.uk copying the Parish Clerk email: parish.clerk@stmargaretspc.co.uk

We are writing to express our deep concern with the latest version of the Parking Strategy submitted to Cabinet.

Following the ‘pause’ in June we understood a thorough review would be undertaken – one that included on-site visits, assessment of all parking assets, data collection, and consideration of their material condition, with recommendations for improvement.

The current version does not appear to address the concerns and recommendations previously raised.  A few minor amendments do not constitute a full review, particularly given the extent of the feedback received on the previous version.

We would wish to re-iterate several key concerns and request these be given full consideration at the Oversight & Scrutiny Committee on the 10th November 2025.

These issues remain significant to the residents and visitors of St Margaret’s at Cliffe.

Reach Road Car Park

• The car park is small and the revenue vs costs data has not been provided.  Costs relating to installation, TROs, enforcement are missing, and additional expenses, currently covered by the Parish Council -including toilets and CCTV – have these been factored in?  Should charging be introduced, the Parish Council would likely cease funding these, creating new costs for DDC which do not appear to have been considered.

• The car park serves local schools, businesses, nurseries and those working in the village.  Introducing charges would likely displace vehicles onto already narrow roads, many of which lack pavements, creating safety and accessibility issues.

• The proposed charges could also jeopardise the viability of the primary school and nursery, and have a serious impact on village businesses. Many employees are on low income wage and will not be able to afford the charges.

• Public transport provision is extremely limited; bus services are infrequent and the nearest train station is 1.5 miles away, accessible only via a Category 1 crash site on the A258 with no public footpath. Sustainable alternative to car use are therefore not available.

Wider District Implications

Residents of St Margaret’s rely on services in Deal and Dover. While we recognise the intent to increase parking turnover, the proposed 3 hour maximum in Deal town centre will discourage visitors – for example, preventing people from combining shopping with lunch – and could therefore harm local businesses.

Financial Transparency

The strategy still lacks financial data needed for sustainable and evidence-based decision making.  For example, the proposed 20p per hour increase is presented without any supporting analysis showing how this figure was derived, or how it aligns with maintenance costs and broader community impacts.

It is not possible to make informed strategic decisions without understanding the full cost of implementation and ongoing maintenance.

Social, Economic and Environmental Impact

Despite multiple rounds of feedback from St Margaret’s residents over the last 5 years, the report makes no reference to the social, economic and environmental concerns repeatedly raised. These insights are valuable and should have informed the latest draft.

Incomplete Scope

The scope of the review remains unclear. Several car parks including Aylesham’s Rural car park, free car parks in Dover and Deal, are excluded without explanation. This selective undermines the strategy’s fairness across the district!

Missed Strategic Opportunities

Other district councils are pursuing the transfer of car park ownership to Town and Parish Councils. The current review misses an opportune moment to assess this approach, particularly in the context  of the Local Government Reorganisation. Considering this now could prevent unnecessary pubic expenditure and support long term local sustainability.

Engagement and Consultation

The report notes there has been Engagement and Consultation with the Towns and Parish Councils.  One meeting in March this year, primarily being a presentation – without meaningful opportunity for dialogue – cannot reasonably be described as consultation.  We specifically requested further consultation and engagement which has not taken place.

Conclusion

We would ask these concerns be fully addressed and a detailed response be provided. A transparent, inclusive, and evidence-based approach will help ensure the Parking Strategy serves all communities fairly and sustainably.