The petition of residents of the constituency of Dover and Deal,
Declares that the proposals to route Dover Fastrack along Pencester Road and Maison Dieu Roads in Dover will pose a significant risk to pedestrian safety, increase traffic congestion and jeopardise the invaluable cultural and heritage contributions of St Paul’s Catholic Church to the area of Dover.
The petitioners therefore request the House of Commons urge the Government to call on Dover District Council and Kent County Council to re-think the planned Pencester Road Fastrack Proposals.
And the petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mrs Natalie Elphicke , Official Report, 11 December 2023; Vol. 742, c. 715.]
[P002887]
Observations from The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Guy Opperman):
The Government national bus strategy asked local transport authorities to implement bus priority measures to make services faster, more reliable, and more attractive to passengers. However, it is vital that they are designed to help rather than hinder traffic.
It is the responsibility of Kent County Council, as the relevant highway authority and local transport authority, to make decisions about the implementation of bus priority measures in East Kent, including in Dover and the surrounding districts. However, the design of bus infrastructure improvements should be informed by the experience of local people and consulted on with a range of passengers and residents.
If the petitioners feel that the proposal will increase congestion and disadvantage their group including the disabled, that is for KCC to consider.