17 August - Shepway's Day of Sandgate Parking Shame

Shepway Council have today introduced parking charges at Sandgate's Castle Road car park despite fierce opposition from Sandgate Parish Council, local residents and Sandgate County Councillor Tim Prater.

After years of a joint deal between Shepway and Sandgate Councils to offer free parking at the site, where Sandgate paid Shepway around £5,000 per year which kept the car park charge free, Shepway effectively ended the deal by demanding that payment rise to £25,000 or charges would be introduced. A new parking meter has now been installed and the "go live" date published as 17th August.

County Councillor Tim Prater has slammed the introduction of charges as hugely damaging to Sandgate. He says:

"Parking charges being introduced in Sandgate will do massive harm to local businesses and residents. Introducing charges will drive people out of the car park onto nearby streets which already suffer with too little space to park and massive pressures of space.

"Given the current financial position, this simply could not come at a worse time for Sandgate - more pressure on local businesses when they least need it, and even worse, in the middle of the summer season on which so many local businesses depend as a seaside village.

"What's even more incredible is that these charges have been forced through by Conservative Shepway Council led by SANDGATE District Councillor Robert Bliss. It seems he either doesn't know how much these charges will hurt his own ward, or doesn't care."

UPDATE 3.15pm, 17 August: A check of Castle Road Car Park at 3.15pm on the first day of charging showed the car park to be almost totally deserted, despite heavy parking in local streets. Just one car had needed to buy (and was displaying) a ticket.