Maidstone Borough Council

Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee

Tuesday 1 December 2015

Urgent Update Report

Item 14 – Integrated Transport Strategy

Park and Ride

In the recent Regulation 18 consultation draft of the Local Plan, it is proposed to delete two park and ride site allocations at Linton Crossroads and Old Sittingbourne Rd (the latter due to the landowner indicating that the land is not available for this purpose).

No new park and ride sites have come forward as a result of this consultation. To compensate for not providing such facilities for intercepting commuter traffic from areas to the north and south of Maidstone, other sustainable transport interventions are proposed within the Integrated Transport Strategy (and the Infrastructure Delivery Plan).  This includes interventions such as a, subsidised, new express bus service between Maidstone town centre and the A249 stopping at junction 7 of the M20 motorway and the return journey (the detail is set out on page 80 section 12.30-12.31).

Discussions are continuing with bus operators to increase the frequency of existing services on commuter routes.