Minutes:
Q. Ron Hills: Is in favour of this, however, will cyclists be separate from pedestrians? What provision is there to stop illegal motorbikes?
A. There will be space sharing for walkways/cycling paths. Re motorbikes, Jeskyns for example has 24 hour response for problems. Looking at ways to have 27/7 access. For example if the toll gate becomes commercial hub, it could offer 24 hour presence.
Q. When the A2 opens, will the links to the A227 be opened at the same time?
A. Yes it will.
Q. Local resident. Jeskyns Park is not a very populated area and people have to travel with motorbikes quite a way to get there. A2 Sandwich Lands will be much closer to the urban area.
A. When there was the linear park at the eastern end there were few problems with motorbikes.
Q. Is the park and ride a park and pay?
A. The idea is in its infancy, KCC will be putting money in and will be a commercial company to manage the park and ride.
Q What will happen if there is an accident at the site, for example if there is a BMX track?
A. From the revenue income, looking at employing 2 staff.
Q. Will there be free access?
A. Yes, but some of the area used will be commercial areas. There will be a cycle path all the way along to Shorne and beyond.
Q. Will there be any buildings?
A. There will be no buildings for outdoor activities. The only question will be over the toll gate.
Q. What provision will there be for stopping travellers accessing land while the area is vacant?
A. Collier Furgusson and Union Railway land will be given back their land before linear park gets under way. Need to get on with the project sooner rather than later to stop any abuse occurring of the land. The site will also be a work site for the short term as well.
Q. Les Christie: on questionnaire responses – what is the breakdown of respondents according to post codes? Will there be parking on site, for example for people visiting with cycles? When the new A2 was planned, local residents were promised landscaping, noise reduction etc. There is a concern that this development would bring 1000’s of people to the site. How is the site going to be secured?
A. 311 respondents to questionnaires. Majority were local resident post codes.
Re parking: If the site functions as a Mon-Fri 9-5 commuter car park, might be parking in the evenings and weekends. However, need to create a green travel plan and encourage creative use of the open space.
Ray Parker: A lot of areas of Northfleet Fastrack are pulling back from and not serving. Many households don’t have access to cars. Getting to these areas is very difficult for these people.
A. Aware of the issue and need to look at how people will get to the site.
Jane Cribbon: There isn’t much at all for teenagers to do in the area. Need young people’s voices in the development.
A. After these initial conceptual proposals, need to turn them into projects on the ground and test them with public views. If it isn’t meeting local people’s requirements, then it isn’t much good.
Q. Big issue is access to bus services. Is there going to be any improvements for example to allow people to get to Shorne?
A. Arriva aren’t planning extending there routes, but Laurence Tricker is developing this issue with them.