Parking fees add to drivers’ misery
MORE misery could be around the corner for motorists in Maidstone, with news that parking fees are to escalate. The town’s draft integrated transport strat-
egy proposes pushing up the cost of short- stay parking by 20% and long-stay parking by a bumper 50% over the course of the next 14 years. That means the cost of parking for three
to four hours would rise from £2.70 to £3.25, while a stay ofmore than four hours would cost £7.50 as opposed to the current £5.
Maidstone Council argues its tactics are to encourage private motorists to use public transport or the park and ride scheme. However, it concedes: “It is recognised that short-stay town centre car parking
plays a vital role in supporting businesses in the town centre.” The council argues the fee increases are reasonable, as the new parking tariff levels will still remain competitivewithin the pri- vate town centre car parking market. The council also wants to increase use of
the park-and-ride service to help reduce the overall demand for parking in the town and reorganise it to encourage car sharing. Maidstone wants to look at ways of shift-
ing the fare structure for park-and-ride from “pay-to-ride” to “pay-to-park” in 2013. The council claims the current fare struc-
ture does not encourage car sharing as each passenger is expected to pay for the bus, which conflicts with the objective of reduc- ing the number of cars on the road, and has
led to the service being subsidised. “This is clearly not sustainable in the cur-
rent financial climate and puts the future of the service at risk,” says the report. The 50% rise in the cost of long-stay park-
ing is designed to encourage car commuters to consider walking, cycling or using pub- lic transport. The report says: “This will have the effect
of better managing traffic congestion and re- lated problems in the town centre during peak periods.” KCC has already committed to introduce a
new bus pass for 16-19 year olds, to make travelmore affordable for sixth formers, col- lege students and apprentices. It will cost £10 per week and provide unlimited bus travel seven days a week.
Race to buy land for goats BUTTERCUPSGoatSanctuary inBoughtonMonchelsea is running out of time to raise money for a piece of land which it says is vital to look after a growing number of abused, neglected and unwanted goats. So far, the charity has raised £82,000 through pledges, but needs to
raise another £20,000 to secure the land. Even then, it would need a loan for the remainder of the £250,000 purchase price. Bob Hitch, founder trustee of the sanctuary, said they were being
askedto lookafter an increasing number ofgoats as the economic cli- matemeanttheirownerswere unable to look after
them.Consequently they are always full, and without extra land,would have to consider re- stricting their intake to local animals only. The landwould providepasture, stablingandamedical isolation unit
for the older goats. The enclosed roofedareawould alsomeanchildren with specialneeds anddisabilities could get involved with the animals. Anyone who can help the sanctuary, either by adopting or fostering
a goat, giving a donation or even an interest-free loan, can contact
themon01622746410orgotothewebsiteatwww.buttercups.org.uk.
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