On 22nd of January Medway Conservatives tabled a motion to Medway Council’s Full Council meeting, calling for a full independent review of the Medway School Street Scheme, following growing concerns from residents, local businesses and key workers and a recent traffic penalty tribunal decision. Promptly voted down by the Labour and Cooperative group.
The motion, proposed by Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Community and Housing, Cllr Lawrence, and supported by Senior Shadow Cabinet Member Cllr Tejan, cast light on the increasing number of Medway residents affected by the scheme, identifying its poor implementation and the detrimental impact it is having on the daily life of residents in and around target areas.
In his speech Cllr Lawrence made clear that the Medway Conservatives do not believe in simply scrapping the scheme but do believe in transparent and evidence-led implementation and review to ensure the council effectively achieves the goal of ensuring the safety of Medway’s children.
The motion notes the independent Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT) ruling concerning Burnt Oak Primary School (Gillingham), where an adjudicator found signage to be inadequate, a sentiment shared by many residents across Medway. This is a clear example of the poor implementation and enforcement residents are being forced to deal with, without proper consultation.
Key concerns highlighted by the motion included:
- Clear lack of evidence: The scheme claims to be justified by evidence of air quality improvement and reduction of term-time accidents involving school children.
- Lacklustre consultation: The statutory consultation ignored the views of residents, and the Labour administration went on to install infrastructure before the consultation had properly concluded.
- Improper signage: Failing to comply with Regulation 18 of the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders Regulations, the signage is unclear leading to many drivers only realising they have violated a restriction after entering a controlled zone.
- Isolation of vulnerable residents: The operating hours effectively lock residents in and keep services out, unfairly isolating those in the controlled areas.
- Displacement of vehicles: Parents find themselves forced to park in neighbouring streets causing congestion therefore pushing the risk of term time accidents to other areas instead of reducing it.
- Penalty Charge Notice collection (PCNs): The council have failed to collect a significant proportion of PCNs, subjecting residents to inequitable enforcement.
The motion recommended that Cabinet commissioned a full independent review of the Medway School Street Scheme, with findings to be reported to the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee no later than May 2026.
The review is essential to restore public confidence and have a legally and procedurally fair scheme that keeps residents’ concerns at the heart of its operation.
Speaking after full council, Shadow Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Community and Housing, Cllr Lawrence said:
'The current approach is failing. It lacks legal standing, it is a fiscal disaster, and it is a social failure.
We didn’t ask to scrap the scheme today. We are asked for an Independent Review. We are asked for transparency. We are asked this administration to stop marking its own homework and finally listen to the people of Medway. Sadly they refused.’
