By installing these width restrictions and blocking off the green opposite has just created more problems. You have made it more difficult for the people that use the area for water sports, the large vehicles are still trying park at the top of the Shingle Bank who are now getting in the way and some of the users are now using Leysdown which is creating issues for them which I don’t think is fair.

There are also concerns about emergency vehicles gaining access, such as ambulances and fire engines and also recovery vehicles. If these vehicles need to get further along Shingle Bank then how would they do this?

We do acknowledge that there has been issues with users out staying their stays, and we also acknowledge that some measures need to be put into place, but the way how this has been developed is totally ludicrous. You have discriminated against all users with larger vehicles, motorhomes, campers, transits and other larger vehicles without any understanding of how these people use Shingle Bank. I have heard from one person in particular who is disabled, has a larger vehicle but is concerned that she will now not be able to gain access. And there are other disabled users that are also concerned.

A point has also been made that there are other campsites on the island. I would like to point out that these are not open all year round. I would also like you to acknowledge that recently Deal and Margate were named in the top 10 of coastal places to visit, Sheppey was not mentioned and I can’t see it ever being mentioned if this is the kind of message that we are sending out to the rest of the UK.

It would have been better to actually work with all members of the community that use Shingle Bank, identify why people use the area and what they think would help to improve not only Shingle Bank but also the rest of the coastal areas that we proudly have. We need to be able to establish the right solution so that everybody can enjoy this space, not just the few!

You have ignored everybody’s voice that had an opinion on this situation, including local businesses and residents that this effects. You say they has been numerous complaints regarding the use of Shingle Bank, exactly how many complaints have you had and are these complaints made public? As I feel that the lack of transparency and absence of a proper process for installing these new measures of great concern.

This ePetition ran from 10/09/2020 to 22/10/2020 and has now finished.

Nobody signed this ePetition.