Kentish Express Ashford & District
Residents fed up with lorries parking outside their homes
Residents have called for more action to be taken to stop lorries parking outside their homes and blocking access.
Willesborough Parking Action group chairman John Bailey says the problem in Blackwall Road in Willesborough Lees has become intolerable for residents when lorries park there.
He said: “It has become a real problem over the last two years. In Blackwall Road there can often be three lorries there.
“It causes chaos for the residents, it takes up half of a narrow road, and causes more noise as the drivers leave the engines running.
“There have been campaigns to get clamping at the Orbital Park and in industrial estates but it just moves them on elsewhere.
“The solution appears to have been simply to put double yellow lines everywhere, but that doesn’t help either.
“It reduces the amount of adequate parking space for visitors, deliveries, and care workers, so it irritates and inconveniences people further.
“There needs to be some kind of by-law to stop this, perhaps single yellow lines to restrict parking at certain times.
“Certainly lorry drivers don’t want to pay for the designated parking, and prefer to take the money for themselves, which leaves the residents and taxpayers having to pick up the bill.”
He believes there needs to be greater provision of park- ing in planning rules for major sites such as hospitals, and an approach which listens to residents.
Mr Bailey’s concerns follow reports in Godinton Park of lorry drivers being forced off the Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate, and problems with lorries blocking junctions along the A20.
Godinton councillor Bernard Heyes said the problem with further restrictions in industrial estates is that drivers could into residential areas rather than pay a small fee to park up in designated lorry parks.
This week Kent Police has warned lorry drivers not to park on motorway slip roads or the hard shoulder, and says long distance drivers should factor in rest breaks at designated lorry parks or face fines.
The clamping scheme was started last summer and the trial period was extended by the joint transportation board. It is due to be discussed again on Tuesday, March 8.