Clean air campaign fumes over council bid for multi-storey

More than 250 march through city in protest

More than 250 protestors took to the streets of Canterbury to voice their anger at the city council’s plans to build a multi-storey car park.

Campaigners armed with megaphones donned costumes and waved placards as they spoke out against the divisive scheme to build a 370-space car park in Station Road West.

Dubbed a ‘pilgrimage’, young and old joined in the march on Saturday as they weaved their way through the city on the 848th anniversary of Thomas Becket’s assassination.

Starting out at St Dunstan’s Church, the group not only protested against the construction of the £9.1 million car park but also voiced their frustration and worry at Canterbury’s “deadly” levels of air pollution.

Organiser Victoria Field said: “The car park exemplifies everything wrong with the council’s clean air strategy.

“It’s incredibly retro to build a new car park like this - other historic European cities are doing their best to get cars off the streets but this is the reverse.

“It’s like investing in coal mining - it’s wrong and outdated.

“The current car park was only about a quarter full on a Saturday so that proves we do not need these extra spaces.”

Clean air campaigner Jan Pahl, who addressed the crowd with a speech near to the Chaucer statue, was thrilled with the turn-out.

She said: “I was amazed by the number of people we had come along.

“There were babies in pushchairs and people of all ages.

“Maybe the car park will be built - we hope that it won’t, but if it is then we want what is best.

“It will be a good opportunity to address the air pollution problems in Canterbury and create an integrated transport hub where visitors can get off the train and then use public transport straight away.

“Station Road West is a major entry point to Canterbury so it must be welcoming.”

She added: “It is up to us to work with the council to come up with the best solution and turn the construction of the multi-storey into something not so nega- tive.”

While the protestors’ voices were heard by many wandering the city’s streets at the weekend, the controversial construction of the car park is still seemingly set in stone.

Council bosses confirmed last month that work to build the three-storey structure will begin in February.

A petition with more than 2,000 signatures is set to be discussed by the council at a meeting next Thursday (January 10).

But having gained full planning permission, the wheels are set in motion for the car park plan to become a reality.

n What do you think of the multi-storey car park plans? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk.