Motorists, residents and business owners are being invited to have their say on plans to introduce red routes across Medway to help reduce congestion.

Under the plan, some of Medway’s busiest roads would be turned into red routes, identified by double red lines along the kerb and clear signage. Motorists would not be able to stop, load or park along red route roads at any time, which would help keep traffic moving.

Red routes are in place in other areas across the country and have helped reduce congestion and keep traffic flowing smoothly. They also prevent illegal and unsafe parking, helping to make roads safer for everyone who uses them.

The council has launched a public consultation on introducing the first phase of red routes across Medway, including:

• Corporation Street between The Esplanade continuing onto Star Hill
• Star Hill between Corporation Street and New Road/City Way
• Best Street between Union Street and Railway Street
• The Brook between The Brook Theatre, Whiffens Avenue and the junction of New Road (including Union Street)
• A2 Rainham High Street between Maidstone Road and Meresborough Road

All bus stops and pedestrian crossings along these routes would remain in place and parking bays would not be affected.  

The red routes would be enforced using smart camera technology which would capture the vehicle registration numbers of motorists who stops their vehicle or parks illegally. If the proposal is implemented, there would be an initial warning period to ensure residents understand the new system. Once the warning period finishes, motorists who do not follow the rules would be fined. Any money from the payment of fines will be reinvested back into Medway’s streets to improve the road network.

The restrictions would not apply to emergency services vehicles, who will continue to be able to stop anywhere in an emergency. Licensed taxis and blue badge holders would also be able to stop on a red route to pick up or drop someone off, providing the badge is clearly displayed and they move off promptly. 

The red routes programme is part of our wider transport plan to keep Medway moving and for safer, healthier streets, including a recent consultation on introducing School Streets.

The red routes consultation opened on Wednesday, 5 July and ends at midnight on Sunday, 30 July, and depending on public feedback, red routes could be introduced in Medway by the end of the year.

All feedback from the consultation will be taken into account for the initial locations as well as for potential future locations. We will continue to work with residents and businesses on plans for further sites, with additional consultations in due course.

Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder covering Transport Strategy, said: “This initiative is all part of Medway’s plan for safer, healthier streets and our ongoing work to keep Medway moving. We are committed to investing in Medway’s transport network to help us meet our environmental, health and transport objectives to make Medway an even safer place to travel around. I would encourage residents and businesses to have their say on the plans.”

Cllr Tris Osborne, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder covering Parking Enforcement, said: “We want to help keep Medway moving by trying to reduce traffic congestion and make journey times across Medway more reliable. We think that introducing red routes on some of our busiest roads and enforcing them using cameras will help. But we want to hear what our residents think about these proposals and I would encourage them to have their say.”