PARKING THE MAJOR ISSUE
Local and national Government are addament in the name of "regeneration" that the Medway Towns will have to sustain the influx of 50,000+ people and associated vehicles. We have already discussed parking associated with the 20,000+ homes, but what thought has been given to parking n shopping centres. As can be seen Gillingham as a town centre is already failing. Park and Ride schemes have been introduced in other areas, but you cannot escape the fact that people want to take their cars shopping for convenience of travel and conveying items home. No parking means shopping in alternative places! The people of Gravesham are locked in dispute with Gravesham council, who are over zealously closing car parks to build houses! Businesses in Gravesend are suffering and local Government is not listening in the name of "regeneration". Let us learn a lesson in Medway from this mistake as too often, shabby town centres are mistakenly "regenerated" when in fact good parking facilities for the shopper to return, is the most logical requirement.
4th March 2006 Daily Mail Newspaper
"TRAFFIC FUMES MAY CAUSE HEART ATTACK"
AIR pollution could trigger heart attacks and strokes, Govt. advisers said yesterday.
A report has found clear links between toxic air - mainly traffic fumes - and deaths and hospital admissions for heart disease.
The committee behind the report said the findings should concern the public urged the Govt. to take precautionary action.
The report by the Committee on the Medical Effects
of Air Pollution particularly focused on nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide
- all of which are found in traffic fumes.
Note:
With China Gateway, if all three Phases are passed by Thanet Council, there will be appoximately 17,000 trucking trips per day to and from the site. Of course this does not include the congested traffic conditions as they are now.