An all too familiar sight: Gridlock in Whitstable's Harbour Street could become a thing of the past under new plans to introduce one way traffic. Picture: Paul Dennis.

by Gerry Warren

The latest plan to manage traffic problems in Whitstable town centre could encourage a new cafe culture through the widening of pavements, a new report reveals.

The scheme involves creating a new one-way system in Oxford Street, High Street and Harbour Street but has already come in for criticism.

Whitstable Labour councillors Julia Seath and John Wratten describe the plan as “sketchy and vague with glaring omissions” and say that it needs greater detail.

On Tuesday night, members of the city and county council’s joint transportation board agreed to put the scheme out to consultation, but only when the results of further traffic predictions and movements were collated and published.

KCC highways officer Ruth Goudie said the new proposal combined the benefits of older schemes, but provided a new opportunity to ease traffic flow in the High Street while improving Harbour Street for pedestrians.

Another benefit was that Cromwell Road would not be flooded with traffic as would have been the case in an early one-way traffic plan.

Numerous traders have complained about the city council’s proposed amendments to the parking and loading restrictions, but Ms Goudie says they may not be needed if the new scheme eventually gets the go-ahead.

But Cllr Seath fears there will be unforeseen problems if the plan is approved without all the implications being investigated and all residents and businesses consulted.

Read the full story in this week's Whitstable Gazette.