On the 18th October, the Conservative Group made its opposition to Red Routes clear in the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This follows a decision taken by the opposition to ‘call in’ the decision taken on the routes by the Medway Labour and Co-Operative administration.
Cllr Phil Filmer, Opposition Spokesperson for Place, stated that the reason the Conservative Group called in the cabinet decision was in light of the evidence seen in the public consultation of which businesses and the residents of Rainham took part in, which demonstrated a clear majority of responses against the proposed plans.
Cllr Phil Filmer commented at the committee:
‘The reason we called it in was because of the engagement with the residents of Rainham. It’s evident that it’s not welcome’.
The committee heard from a Rainham resident Mr Alan Stockey as he spoke passionately before the committee against Labour’s Red Route plan in Rainham stating that:
“Rainham residents do not want Red Routes in their town, they are aggressive and disproportionate when existing enforcement measures are far from being exhausted.”
Medway Conservatives share this view given the overwhelming negative impacts of Red Routes on businesses who rely on using the side of the road to receive deliveries, something that doesn’t affect the traffic flow due to the width of the road.
The cost to businesses along Rainham High Street will be substantial as the current double yellow lines do not allow for parking on the side of the road but do allow for unloading. This will change with Red Routes as Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) would be enforced by CCTV and inadequate provisions will be made for businesses receiving deliveries. Therefore, it is the group’s belief that many small businesses located on Rainham High Street will suffer immensely if the Rainham Red Route is approved both financially and logistically.
There is a theme developing not only in Medway but across the country that wherever Labour is in power, motorists are punished. Last month, the Transport Secretary outlined a plan to tackle this – the plan for drivers.
Medway Conservatives will do all it can to oppose and stop Labours plan for a Red Route in Rainham where there is a clear majority against the proposal, as well as any future anti-motorist policies. As mentioned in Full Council on the 19th October 2023, Cllr Gulvin, Leader of the Opposition in Medway, pointed out that if Labour’s Red Routes goes ahead, they are forecast to bring in a total revenue of £1,099,000 over five years according to a report given to the Regeneration, Culture and Environment Star Chamber in December 2022, information which was kept out of the public domain.
It is clear that Red Routes will do little to improve air quality or improve traffic flow in all of the proposed routes, instead it is emerging that Medway Labour want to bring this in for financial benefit at the expense of Rainham’s residents and businesses whilst claiming to be on their side.
Medway Conservatives will continue to do all it can to oppose the Rainham Red Routes and put the minds of business owners and residents at ease.
