Petitions

Petition tracker No.

Subject of petition

Date received 

Summary of Medway Council's response

Outcome of review

(if requested) 

9

The council to open Dale Street, Chatham at

the end of Hill’s Terrace to make Hill’s Terrace, a one-way system. In addition to creating extra

parking or other options for parents to be able to

collect their children safely from Saint Michael's RC

Primary School.

22 October 2024

The council continually works to promote safe and sustainable journeys, particularly as part of the journey to school. It is important the council, as the highway authority, appropriately looks into the feasibility of what is being requested.

Changing roads to allow new movements can alter the way the road network is used, this can result in improved operation, but there can also be other impacts, such as increasing the likelihood of conflicts and collisions nearby.  It is also important to consider the realistic prospect of being able to secure funding for such changes.

The Council will include initial investigations into what the lead petitioner has requested to the Transport and Parking Department’s programme for the next financial year.

Council officers will contact the lead petitioner during the next financial year to update them in relation to the request.

No review requested

8

The council to create a pedestrian crossing at Walderslade Road and Magpie Hall Road, Chatham

21 October 2024

The council takes road safety very seriously and investigates any instances where concerns regarding road safety are brought to our attention and monitor collision records, supplied by Kent Police, in order that we can work to target and reduce people being harmed whilst travelling on Medway’s roads. This includes examining pedestrian crossing facilities and pedestrian movements to see where improvements can be made.

The council’s Transport & Parking Service have looked into the request in more detail and can confirm that there is already a pedestrian refuge island crossing point located on Walderslade Road, in close proximity to the junction of the Ridgeway and Magpie Hall Road. This crossing point allows for easy access from the south side of Walderslade Road, heading north along Magpie Hall Road towards Victory Academy. This crossing point is also well used and the area around the crossing point has a very good safety record.

In terms of the request for a push button pedestrian crossing or zebra crossing, it would be very difficult to install one at this location given its complexity and the roads which converge at this point. The Council will also need to prioritise its limited budget on making improvements at locations which have an existing record of accidents or incidents. As this location has a good safety record, and the crossing point mentioned is used frequently without incident, the Council would not be about to justify investment here for a new crossing over investment in other areas that have a much greater need for a change to the highway.

However, please rest assured that the safety record of this location will continue to be monitored.

No Review requested

7

Opposition to School Streets Scheme at Fairview Community

Primary School, Wigmore

18 October 2024

A public consultation for the introduction of a further nine School Streets across Medway, including the one on Drewery Drive, has been running since 16 September 2024 concluded on 27 October 2024.

This forms part of the Council’s commitment to making the streets outside of its schools safer and healthier for children and the wider school community. A School Street is a road outside a school that has temporary vehicle restrictions at drop-off and pick-up times during the school term. The road becomes a pedestrian and cycle only area during these times, except for those permitted with an exemption, including the households located within the School Street zone. The restrictions are not in place during school holidays or weekends.

All feedback gathered during the six-week School Streets consultation, including this petition, will be reviewed in conjunction with the Council’s overall assessment, prior to any further decision being made.

No review requested

6

The council to implement speed bumps and traffic calming measures on Parr Avenue, Knight Avenue and Corporation Road, Gillingham

10 October 2024

The safety history of the roads that you have requested has been investigated. In the last three years of available police records, one injury collision has been recorded throughout the above roads.

The council works to support safe road use and prioritises safety interventions to help reduce and prevent harm on the highway. It is important that this done in an evidence based way, making best use of the resources that are available.

There are other locations within Medway that are currently recording poorer ongoing road safety problems. The council’s approach is to tackle those locations with poorest safety records in the first instance, to help prevent further casualties on our roads. The Council is therefore unable to progress the requested alterations at this time. Please rest assured the safety record of this location will continue to be monitored.

No review requested

5

The council to reduce the speed limit on Sharnal Street, High Halstow, from 40mph to 30mph.

9 October 2024

The council’s road safety engineers and officers will undertake a review of the speed limit at this location. This will take into account a number of factors, which will include the existing traffic flows, speeds, and local safety record. The Transport and Parking team will update the lead petitioner on this matter by April of next year.

No review requested

3

The council to amend the CPZ

for Providence Avenue, Rochester ME1 1NF from “R1 permit

holders or 2 hours no return within 1 hour” to “R1 permit

holders only at any time”.

30 September 2024

The Controlled Parking Zone for Rochester Riverside was introduced to ensure that the amenity of residents was not detrimentally affected by non-residents parking on-street for long periods of time to visit central Rochester or commute further afield. At the same time, the strategic vision for Rochester Riverside was to create a place where residents and visitors can enjoy high quality public realm, including the river walk and other open spaces across the development. When designing the parking zone, the Council felt that a blanket restriction across the whole area was not appropriate and worked with the developer to incorporate some flexible parking provision for the benefit of residents and visitors. The Council believes that a permit holder only restriction on every street may sterilise and isolate the area, whereas allowing a relatively short period of free parking at some locations encourages footfall and opens the area up for the enjoyment of everyone.

For this reason, the council does not propose to change the parking controls for Providence Avenue at the present time.

No review requested

2

The council to provide wheelie bins for recyclable and general waste instead of refuse bags.

5 August 2024

Medway Council is commissioning a waste strategy to identify and appraise options for waste collection and disposal in Medway. An important part of the waste strategy review and recommendations will be engaging with Medway residents to understand their priorities. The waste strategy will include a review of waste containers, and this petition will be included in the research.

Due to the old Victorian-style terraced houses, hillside and long alleyway collections, there are a significant number of households in Medway that are not suitable for wheeled bins or can only support one wheeled bin. In 2010 the decision was made that the garden and food waste service would be the only wheeled bin collection as this would offer the best containment for the food waste items that attract animal attack.

No review requested

1

The council to install double yellow lines 10ft either side of the entrance to Thorndike House, Chatham to enable vehicles to safely exit and to prohibit vehicles parking on the pavement enabling disability scooters to use the path.

20 May 2024

The location referred to in the petition is on the Transport and Parking Service’s 2024-25 Works Programme. Requests for new parking enforcement restrictions are prioritised within a programme of works each year to ensure that our available resource is put to best use on schemes which have the highest need.

Whilst the council is unable to give an exact timescale for when the statutory 21-day consultation on the new parking restrictions will commence, please be assured that the council will be taking this scheme forward to public consultation as soon as it is able to do so.

No review requested