The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods introduced the report which summarised the work undertaken to-date for the Faversham Town Centre permanent road closure scheme and to recommend the next steps to implement the closure.  She said that a lot of informal work had been undertaken which including an informal consultation from 21 May to 14 June 2021.   She said that they had been working with Project Centre the consultants for the scheme and advised that Jonathan East (Project Centre) was in attendance to respond to any technical questions.

The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods drew attention to the two recommendations to progress the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) and to undertake a formal consultation from 16 January 2023 to 22 February 2023 on proposals to close Market Street, Court Street, Market Place, Middle Row, East Street and Preston Street, Faversham from 10 am to 4 pm with exceptions for Permit Holders and Blue Badge holders.

The Chair invited Members to ask questions.

Councillor Alastair Gould asked whether Blue Badge holders would need to register for the scheme to be picked-up on the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)?  Mr East said they would need to be pre-registered but, if they did not and received a fine there was an appeals process.  Councillor Gould asked that suitable signage was provided clearly advising that Blue Badge holders needed to pre-register.

Councillor Eddie Thomas supported the proposals and asked what specific signage would be provided to communicate it was a pedestrian priority area and how would the interim period between the new TRO and signage being erected and the ANPR being commissioned be managed?  Mr East advised that it was proposed to provide standard pedestrian and cycle zone signage at the gateway to the zone to inform motorists that they were entering the pedestrian and cycle zone.  Mr East acknowledged that during the interim period there was likely to be some difficulties with enforcement until the traffic cameras were operational.  He advised that they had liaised with Kent Police who advised that they would not have the capacity to enforce but parking attendants could.

Councillor Eddie Thomas asked whether the Court Street gate would be closed every market day including Tuesdays and would more enforceable and dedicated unloading bays be provided outside of the pedestrian area?  Mr East said that the existing Court Street gate closures and maintenance and emergency access arrangements would remain unchanged.  He confirmed that the existing and new TRO did not allow the gate to be closed on a Tuesday.  Mr East confirmed that there would be no unloading during 10 am and 4 pm and no further dedicated unloading bays were proposed.   

Councillor David Simmons said that he was aware that the gate was closed on a Tuesday but not locked.  He said he was concerned about the lack of a physical barrier at the start of the pedestrianised area and asked whether cafes would be allowed to put tables and chairs out on the days the road was closed?  Mr East said that due to emergency access and potential residential access this had been discounted as not being feasible.

Councillor Julian Saunders welcomed the pedestrianisation and raised two areas of concern.  He said it would be important to review the impact allowing vehicles to access the Court Street/Market Place area would have on the aged and disabled who could not access the Market Place by vehicle.  He said any review should also look at whether full pedestrianisation would prevent blue badges accessing essential services and added it was important to ensure pedestrians had priority in the market area and methods were put in place to ensure cyclists/e-bikers/scooter users dismounted.  Mr East said that Blue Badge holder access was picked-up by the Equality Impact Assessment and needed to be included in the scheme.

Kent County Council (KCC) Councillor Anthony Hook supported the proposal.  He considered it was right to plan for allowing Blue Badge Holders access and agreed that certain aspects of the proposals needed to be reviewed and monitored.   He had received feedback from some businesses that were concerned about deliveries and their concerns would hopefully be picked-up within the consultation. 

KCC Councillor Rich Lehman asked whether the option to include or exclude closing of the gate on Tuesday could be considered?  The Director of Regeneration & Neighbourhoods said that the issue could be clarified via the formal consultation.

Recommended:

(1)      To proceed with the implementation of Faversham Town Centre Road closures.

(2)      To proceed with the preparation of the draft traffic order and formal consultation on the traffic order.