This snuck under my Radar.
POLLUTION has become so bad in Tonbridge that the council is considering pedestrianising the High Street.
The only reason that the traffic density is so high in Tonbridge is that, although there is a byepass round Tonbridge and also round Tunbridge Wells to the south, they forgot one teensy weensy point that would be quite usefull. To make them effective they need to be JOINED together. Bearing in mind that this was proposed nearly fifteen years ago.
Now Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council has developed an action plan to combat the fumes, with the use of the town centre for pedestrians "at its heart".
As well as a pedestrianisation scheme, the plan also proposes stricter parking enforcement to reduce "idling of engines", as well as improved junctions in the town centre and a reduction in harmful emissions from buses.
Stricter parking enforcement. FFS, Notwithstanding that they’ve pushed the price of parking in the car parks up by 15% this year, they’ve already got a Gestapo of their own that would make Hitler proud.
Of course the usual suspect turns up to put his oar in.
But Kent Green Party watermelon spokesman Steve Dawe said pedestrianisation was the only step that would bring pollution down to a "safe" level.
As a local commentator piles in with a few facts to refute the above.
“These figures are completely incorrect .The figures quoted are µgm-3 levels which is not the same as ppm.If you look at the air quality website and study the data in context the NO2 levels are considered low at the monitoring site in Tonbridge High Street.
There are obviously spikes which is only to be expected given that the official monitoring site is above a bus stop (My embolden)but generally the levels are low.At no time over the last month has the N02 reading in Tonbridge High Street been higher than moderate which was just one day.The rest of the month the N02 levels have been Low .Either someone doesnt understand science or the figures are being deliberately misrepresented for political gain.”
However the watermelon must show his stupidity further.
"It has the busiest station in terms of passengers in the whole of Kent. Tonbridge also has an unusual number of secondary schools and there are people coming and going in and out of Tonbridge on a daily basis.
Now let me see.
Point one. "It is the busiest station in terms of passengers …….. Well why did some fuckwit reduce the drop off points from five to three.
Point two. unusual number of secondary schools………. Could this be that Tonbridge has three of the best Grammar schools in the country?
And finally. This.
"From a commercial point of view, the level of vacancies in the High Street is getting higher. Pedestrianisation would increase the footfall of people in the area."
No it won’t There are bugger all decent shops left. They’ve all moved out of Town where the parking is free. That’s where most people go to shop.
Maybe the council thinks we all shop at poundstretchers, charity shops, or at Lidle. Because that’s all we’ve got left.
I suppose next they’ll want a smoke free pedestrian high street. They’d better be quick if they want to be the first.
