Listen to residents over station plan

Once again the residents of Station Road West are to be plunged into chaos by a decision made by people who do not reside in the area.

We have only just got peace after the huge mistake of the Westgate Towers traffic trial.

Hubert Pragnell’s letter (Car Park Will Worsen Station Traffic, Letters and Opinion, Kentish Gazette, July 28) said it all. The eight chestnut trees in the road will have to be destroyed when the concrete monstrosity is built.

The Berkley Homes in the road won a very prestigious award for building and design and the station building and the Goods Shed is now a very successful and well-run business do much to enhance the road.

Councillors, for once listen to the people whose lives you will wreck. Leave things as they are. Audrey Bibb Station Road West, Canterbury

When I heard of the proposal for a multi-storey car park at Canterbury West Station, I thought it sounded a good idea.

We need more parking, not just for the station, but for visitors and residents of Canterbury in the St Dunstan’s area. Also Station Road West has a line of mature trees which should be able to provide a living screen for the car park, which from necessity is likely to be rather boxy and not particularly attractive. However it is a bad idea to incorporate shops as the developers will want the trees to be removed for a start. As many shops have closed in both the centre of Canterbury and the St Dunstan’s area, extra shops could stand empty, giving visitors the wrong first impression of Canterbury as a thriving centre. On the question of the extra traffic generated across the congested level crossing, the solution could be to have another entrance to the multi-storey car park from Roper Road. As the car park will have three storeys, this entrance could be a bridge over the railway to the first or second floor. There is certainly plenty of space alongside the railway line in Roper Road for such an entrance. Let’s hope Canterbury City Council will consider the views of residents before committing themselves to this development, even if it means an initial delay in the proceedings. Mike Armstrong Queens Avenue, Canterbury

When this car park is built it will allow a significant improvement in the parking facilities not only for commuters but also for those visiting Canterbury.

The local plan indicates that all of the city’s ground-level car parks will be built on and park and ride sites provided for parking.

It also indicates the Canterbury West council car park will be developed as an office block.

Commuter Jeremy Baker, city shopkeeper Debbie Barwick and I made many visits to Kent County Council meetings to oppose development as an office block.

Strong representations were made to the inspector at the local plan inquiry and naturally to Canterbury City Council.

These representations and many other initiatives appear to have helped the council to make its recent decision to scrap the office block and build a muchneeded car park.

Rejoice, we are a democracy. Cllr David Hirst (Ukip) Palm Trees Farm, Rectory Lane, Upper Hardres