Kentish Express Ashford & District
Parking danger is ‘beyond a joke’
Residents of Godinton Park have expressed continuing concerns over road safety and driving visibility on the estate.
Parking around the Cypress Avenue and Loudon Way junction has been described as “beyond a joke”.
Vehicles frequently park on the residential estate from early morning and can still be there around 7pm, which has led to claims that they are connected to nearby Cobbs Wood Industrial Estate or Stagecoach bus depot workers.
Double yellow lines were painted at the top of Loudon Way in Godinton Park last year to prevent the Chart Road junction becoming blocked.
But residents say that the parked vehicles have simply moved further down Loudon Way closer to Cypress Avenue, with parked cars blocking their view as they try to turn out of the junction.
Andy Zerfahs, neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for the Godinton Park estate, said: “There are still no restrictions in place between the bus stop and the junction with Lou- don Way and Cypress Avenue which continues to cause problems for the residents.
“The main issue is getting in and out of East Lodge Road and taking a right hand turn out of Cypress Avenue.
“I experienced a problem a couple of weeks ago when I needed to take a right turn out of Cypress Avenue. Due to the number of parked cars, teamed with a low sun, it was virtually impossible to gauge approaching traffic making it dangerous to pull out into Loudon Way. In the end, I turned left out of Cypress Avenue and exited the estate via Repton Park.
“Athough double yellow lines would cure the problem, the residents are concerned about the potential knock-on effect that would have, as they fear that it would just push the problem further into the estate and stop people parking outside their own homes.
“So at present, we have no acceptable solution to the parking issues.”
Resident Tara Busbridge said: “The situation in Loudon Way has gone beyond a joke now. There are cars parked every day, except Sunday, which makes visibility out of Cypress Avenue almost nonexistent.
“When you come out of Cypress Avenue you have to almost come half way across the road to be able to see if anything is coming either way. The cars actually park right up to both sides of the junction.
“The council put yellow lines at the entrance to the estate a while back which did help with the congestion in the mornings getting out of the estate. Where the cars are now parked you can only just get two cars passing each other.
“One day a child is going to be crossing and we simply are not going to see them.”
Another resident Mel Graham said: “My teenage daughter nearly got run over in the same spot a few months ago.
“It’s like taking your life in your hands there as a pedestrian or a motorist.”
Sarah Crick added: “At peak times it’s difficult to get out of the estate and especially difficult for buses and lorries entering the estate at any time during the day.”
What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, 34-36 North Street, Ashford, TN24 8JR or email kentishexpress@ thekmgroup.co.uk