Plans to bring in pay and display machines in five roads including in a popular seafront spot have been scrapped.

Thanet District Council had been looking at bringing in parking charges to The Parade in Minnis Bay, Canterbury Road in Westbrook, and Cuthbert Road, St Mildred’s Road and Station Road in Westgate-on Sea.

The contentious proposals resulted in more than 5,300 responses from residents and businesses during a consultation in 2018.

This huge number of comments from the public prompted a decision to allow more time to analyse the challenges and to explore a range of potential solutions to resolve issues around congestion, lack of turn-over of spaces and pedestrian safety, which the proposals intended to address.

The council says due to the objections received, and review by the Joint Transportation Board, the decision has been made not to proceed with the pay and display schemes.

Currently Minnis Bay and Canterbury Road have free parking.

In Westgate-on-Sea there are time limited bays which allow motorists to park free of charge for up to one hour.

A resident parking scheme with shared time limited bays in Royal Crescent in Westbrook will continue to be taken forward.

Cllr Steve Albon, Thanet District Council’s cabinet member for operational services, says the council has listened to the concerns raised by local people and responded.

"We recognise the importance of balancing the needs of businesses and their customers with the aim of reducing congestion and therefore emissions, as well as the safety of pedestrians and other road users," he said.

"We hope that this decision is well received."

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