A campaign group lobbying for a new bridge deemed crucial to regeneration has accused the government of “protecting” a private business at their town’s expense.

Residents and groups in Faversham made the claim as a petition submitted a year ago remains unanswered and further contact ignored.

The swing bridge over Faversham Creek has been out of action for years, with Kent County Council (KCC) and private port authority - Peel Ports - locked in a dispute over who should foot the bill to fix it.

Last November, a delegation of local politicians travelled to the Department for Transport (DfT) headquarters in London to deliver a letter signed by more than 1,500 residents.

The document urged the government to step in and compel Peel Ports to make the necessary repairs.

But Faversham Town Council (FTC) says the petition, handed in on November 13 last year, has never been acknowledged by DfT while further correspondence since has received no reply.

A statement by the town council issued to mark the first anniversary said: “The government still refuses to take action and appears to us to be protecting Peel Ports at Faversham’s expense.”

Chairman of FTC’s heritage buildings and creek committee, Cllr Trevor Martin, said the bridge’s derelict state is holding back redevelopment in the area.

“It has been a year since the petition was handed in, we just need the parties involved to get in a room and agree to allowing the Creek Basin to be accessible and the sluicing to resume, so that the regeneration of the area can commence,” said the Liberal Democrat.

“Continued access to the Basin will mean that the potential for businesses to access a £75,000 grant to move road traffic movements to maritime could be realised.”

Faversham mayor Cllr Josh Rowlands added: “‘Faversham is about community and the Creek is a key part, not only the town’s history, but of community groups wanting to use it.

“An opening bridge with working sluices is key to ensuring that development in line with the neighbourhood plan can take place and everyone benefit.”

After a meeting in February, DfT recommended that KCC and the town council agree to find lawyers to arbitrate the ownership, and secure agreement from Peel Ports for this approach.

If agreed, a King’s Counsel with maritime expertise would consider both positions and make a decision, which would be binding, as previously reported by KentOnline.

To mark the first anniversary of the petition’s submission to the government, many people gathered at the bridge to highlight the stalemate once again.

This included representatives from KCC, Swale Borough Council, Faversham Town Council, The Faversham Society, Faversham Creek Trust, Cinque Port Rowing, Where’s Our Bridge, Save Ham Farm and members of the public.

A spokesperson for Peel Ports said: “KCC owns (and has responsibility for) the public highway, and our team in Sheerness has been liaising with them on their ambitions for Faversham Bridge since 2018.

“We have engaged in several meetings in the years since, including with Helen Whately MP and representatives from both KCC and Faversham Town Council.

“We have provided proposal documents containing actions that have yet to be progressed, and most recently we have indicated we would be happy to support an all-parties meeting.

“In June 2021, Robert Courts MP (then Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security), asked KCC to work with the relevant parties on their proposals for the creek and the bridge.

“We are awaiting the sight of a viable business case from the relevant parties. In the meantime, we will continue to engage and support on the matter, where appropriate.”

A KCC spokesperson said the authority has spent £550,000 to “undertake investigations, remove the dilapidated structure, develop outline designs and provide a temporary bridge and segregated footway, for the highway user”.

They added: “Technically, we are at a stage of the project where further work cannot be done until full dredging of the Creek has been undertaken. This activity is beyond KCC’s capability and responsibility, and requires the maritime authority, Peel Ports, to coordinate and deliver.

“The replacement of an operational swing bridge and sluice gates, which can also manage the creek silt levels, we believe remains the responsibility of the maritime authority.

“KCC would welcome a further all parties meeting in the new year to discuss this matter further."

DfT declined to respond to the allegations put forward by the town council and said as it was a "commercial matter" it would be "inappropriate" to comment on the "ongoing dispute".