Proposed Parking Changes in Radnor Cliff and Radnor Cliff Crescent

As part of a host of changes in motion to try to address issues being caused to Radnor Cliff and Radnor Cliff Crescent residents by the access to the Lower Leas Coastal Park, it has been agreed to consult those residents on a change to the on-street parking rules in that area.

With the parking charges in the Lower Sandgate Road West Car park being increased to try to push users to the cheaper and less disruptive Coastal Park car park at the Folkestone end of the park (accessed via Marine Parade) some park users have been parking in Radnor Cliff to avoid the charges, adding to the horrendous weekend congestion in that area. The CPZ changes would remove free visitors parking in Radnor Cliff and Radnor Cliff Crescent to combat that problem.

The Order proposes the following in Sandgate:

• Amend the CPZ restrictions in Radnor Cliff and Radnor Cliff Crescent to 1^st April - 30^th September 8.00am - 8.00pm, permit holders only.

• Prohibition of loading and unloading on existing yellow line restrictions in Radnor Cliff Crescent and near the entrance to Lower Sandgate Road Car Park in Radnor Cliff

http://www.sandgatepc.kentparishes.gov.uk/proposal-notice-changes-to-cpz-restrictions-in-radnor-cliff-and-radnor-cliff-crescent-sandgate/

I have had a number of issues raised with me about the difficulties no visitor parking may cause in those months for some residents, and I've discussed these today with Parking servooces and the Cabinet Member for Transport.

Parking Services have agreed that they will agree to any request from a resident for additional permits. If you need the ability to buy 100 permits in a year rather than 50, then they simply need to be asked. Any household in the sandgate CPZ can do so, and the extra permits will cost the same as the "usual" allowance of 50 - currently £1.04 for a days permit.

Secondly, the Cabinet Member for Parking listened to concerns over the ccurrent "only online" process sympathetically. This is an isssue I have raised before (some residents find using the online system really hard), and has agreed to discuss this further with the Parking Services team. This would have district wide implications (there are CPZ schemes across Folkestone and Sandgate, and it would need to be available equally) but he has agreed to take this concern into account and see if the Council can introduce a "paper voucher" scheme for those that simply cannot use the online system. This will take a little time to work up, and is now being looked at.

Finally, I was reassured that although the F&HDC website doesn't yet reflect it, there is a tradesman permit scheme which allows local tradespeople to buy a zone permit for a day, week or year. That will appear on the Council website soon, but if any trader wants one now, they can buy them by calling Parking Services.

Deliveries to households in the area do not require a permit at any time - as long as a delivery is actively occurring, then the delivery vehicle can park without permit for as long as they need to do so to make the delivery.

I hope those are useful clarifications and changes to the system. It's now entirely in the hands of Radnor Cliff and Radnot Cliff Crescent residents, and I ask them to respond to the consultation - either for or against.

There are signs on lamposts now, and will be letters through every door next week. If the majority of hosueholds who respond are in favour of the changes, I'll push to have them implemented. If the majority are against, I'll ask the current system remains unchanged. Over you Radnor Cliff and Radnor Cliff Crescent residents.