Plans to introduce ANPR cameras in a town centre have been slammed – with councillors declaring: “This isn’t London”.
Last week, the green light was given for the technology to be installed in Maidstone along King Street and at the High Street/Fairmeadow junction.
King Street in Maidstone will be getting new ANPR cameras. Picture: Google Maps
Kent County Council (KCC) is using powers granted by parliament in July 2022 to install the cameras, which it says will improve safety and tackle congestion by enforcing traffic restrictions.
In King Street, they will be placed at the eastern end, covering the pedestrian and cycle zone at the junction of Wyke Manor Road.
Only buses and Hackney carriage taxis are allowed to enter the zone beyond the traffic lights leading to the High Street, but KCC says unauthorised vehicles are increasingly using the route as a shortcut.
A spokesman for the authority added: “There have been several problems reported on this section of road.
“These include cars parking in bus stops, vehicles blocking both sides of the road, and illegal vehicles causing traffic jams near the Queen’s Monument.
“These have impacted road safety in this area.”
Where the ANPR cameras will be installed in Maidstone
A similar consultation was sent out for ANPR cameras in Fairmeadow. There, they would overlook the yellow box markings at the junction with the High Street, Fairmeadow and Bishops Way.
KCC says the box junction is regularly blocked by drivers illegally stopping within it, leading to congestion on the gyratory.
The cameras are likely to be installed in the autumn and anyone caught out will be given a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £35.
A public consultation on the proposals found that 80% of respondents were in support of ANPR cameras being installed.
But Tories Stan Forecast and Tom Cannon have accused the authority of attempting to monetise the town’s traffic, and have written to urge decision-makers to rethink the policy.
They said: “We are writing to you to express our strong opposition to the proposed installation on the one-way system, on the Fairmeadow junction, with perhaps more sites being considered, and we ask that you intervene urgently to halt this change.
Cllrs Tom Cannon, left, and Stan Forecast, right, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch
“We feel the public consultation regarding these new cameras has been fundamentally inadequate to make a sound decision. The KCC report claims these ANPR cameras are what the public wants, but the data tells a very different story. The consultation engagement was absolutely abysmal.
“A mere 118 individuals actually submitted a response via the online questionnaire when thousands of residents move through the town each day.
“This is hardly a robust, democratic, informed mandate for penalising our town’s motorists.
“Please reconsider whether there is enough reliable data to make such a significant decision. Maidstone is the proud County Town of Kent.
“It is a place where people come to live, work and support our local businesses. Instituting a regime where there is a fine around every corner is entirely counterproductive to fostering a welcoming, prosperous town centre.
“To put it simply: This is not Maidstone-on-Thames.
Unauthorised vehicles have been using the road between King Street and High Street. Picture: Google
“We should not be adopting the aggressive, revenue-driven traffic enforcement tactics increasingly seen in London boroughs and by the Mayor of London.
“This is a thin end of the wedge, and we call for an immediate rethink of this policy.
“Our town has its own unique character, and our transport policies should reflect the realities of navigating a historic county town, rather than treating local motorists as a reliable revenue system.
“Maidstone residents want to see more investment in genuine infrastructure improvements and technological innovations that improve traffic flow.”
Anyone caught out will be given a £35 fine. Picture: Keith Heppell
Maidstone council leader Stuart Jeffery (Green) said: “It has taken a long time to get here, but a decision has now been made by KCC to progress with the installation of the ANPR in Maidstone.
“Permanent traffic enforcement camera warning signs will be installed to inform drivers of enforcement in the area, and temporary signs will be put on site to notify drivers of the start date prior to the cameras being switched on.”