Residents angry over student cars

Residents near a Kent college and school campus have called for action to stop students parking on their streets.

Parking restrictions have been imposed on students of the six colleges and schools at Oakwood Park in Maidstone to stop illegal parking on the site.

But residents in the Oakwood Road area said the increasing numbers of student drivers were abusing residents' bays.

Kent County Council (KCC) said it was working with the schools and colleges to try to resolve the issue.

Tickets issued

The residents' parking bays in Oakwood Road allow non-residents to park for two hours at a time.

But people living in the terraced houses said students were parking and leaving their cars and scooters all day.

And they said although some tickets were being issued, it was not dealing with the whole problem.

Pensioner Phyllis Johnston said she had visits from nurses, doctors and a home help, who all had problems parking.

"The parking problem in Oakwood Road is murder," said David Russell, who helps her with her garden.

"The residents can't get in anywhere in school hours."

KCC, which owns the campus, said it was aware of residents' concerns.

It said it had no choice but to impose restrictions at the campus because of incidences where children had been hit by vehicles caused by illegal parking and several other near misses.

"Parking restrictions were introduced at Oakwood Park with the backing of Kent Police, because of safety concerns for students," it said in a statement.

It said residents had been invited to have their say at its Maidstone local board meeting on Wednesday at Oakwood House.

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