Smug report on illegal parking

I attended the Joint Transportation Board meeting last Tuesday and was appalled at the report given by Jo Fox, Ashford Borough Council’s (ABC) health, parking and community safety manager, and the response by Conservative councillors (Tough Approach To Illegal Parking Is ‘Success Story’, KE, September 10).

The report was self congratulatory and turned a modest start on this work into a great success without any justification.

Only a very small percentage of fines are being collected, and the problem continues around the area.

ABC has been incredibly slow getting this work started and should be ashamed of their response which has left businesses and residents blighted by lorry parking whilst they did nothing for years.

ABC has ignored residents’ protests and letters to the KE suggesting clamping for more than four years!

Meanwhile lorries still park all around the town, increasingly in rural and residential areas. Some success! Just like ABC’s double yellow line solution it just moves the problem on but actually solves nothing.

The Airport Cafe in Sellindge, meanwhile, has now built an extended lorry park and ABC should follow suit.

Extend formal parking facilities for lorries and hit those who park in industrial estates and residential areas so hard with effective enforcement that paid for lorry parks are their only choice. John Bailey, Willesborough to the fish lady’s van at Wye Farmers’ market (Villagers’ Fury Over Parking Ticket For Market Fish Van, KE, September 10).

He had no reason to pass the road closed sign other than looking for trouble. I followed him up the road and drew Frankie Botterell’s attention to what was happening.

I realise traffic wardens carry out a vital and difficult task, therefore only people who can exercise tact and common sense should be employed.

This man exhibited neither, but he was keen to show us the camera around his neck!

I have lived in Wye for many years and have never seen a “proper” policeman on patrol.

Traffic wardens are a regular feature on Farmers’ Market days and the Christmas period when hard pressed traders experience their most profitable trading periods and the village is busy. David Harper, St Ambrose Green, Wye

We go to Wye Farmers’Market and the Botterell’s fish stall is one of the main reasons. It is always popular, fresh fish from a chilled van.

The ticket must be rescinded. How can this be justified? Haven’t Ashford Borough Council got better things for their wardens to do or are they trying to get us all to go to their Sunday market instead? Brenda Kemp, Aldington ago, we took my sister on a day trip to St Omer.

She had never set foot in France previously, and looking up at the beautiful French buildings, she stumbled, and fell over and cut her hand.

The French system was amazing. We staggered into a pharmacy, they rang an ambulance (the pompiers - combined ambulance and fire service) which took about three minutes to arrive.

They blue lighted us to a hospital, with my husband furiously trying to keep up in the car, and had excellent treatment there.

They took a while, because they insisted on doing lots of tests to make sure she hadn’t collapsed and fallen, and stitched up her hand.

We can’t remember the name of the hospital, but we were impressed. No problems about being international, as soon as she showed her passport and EHIC, all went smoothly.

In a country with a higher population, how come they have spare capacity, while all our medical services are under huge stress? Mrs June Gooch, New Romney

Villagers react after trader Frankie Botterell received a parking ticket at the Wye Farmers Market.