Monday, 1 March 2010

CUTTING DOWN ON CLUTTER IN CONSERVATION AREAS

A new initiative has been launched to cut down on clutter in Thanet's Conservation Areas.

Conservation officers in Thanet District Council have been working with Kent Highway Services, looking at the number and style of road signs being used in these areas to see if it is possible to reduce them or make them less obtrusive.

The scheme has been piloted first in the Ramsgate Harbour area, where signage was checked and either removed in some cases or re-sited to existing barriers in other cases.

Cllr. John Kirby, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Ramsgate Marina, said: "Some of the problems we run into in our conservation areas are to do with unnecessary signage. Of course, it's important to ensure safety on our roads and that drivers have adequate directions, but there are measures that can be taken to reduce the visual impact on the environment. It may sound like a small thing, but often it's the small things in Thanet's conservation areas that add up to make the biggest difference. We need to ensure that we enhance the appearance of those areas and reduce clutter wherever we can. It's already made a difference around Ramsgate Harbour, without affecting road safety and still ensuring that the remaining signs get the essential information across to both drivers and pedestrians."

It is hoped to move the initiative to other conservation areas in Thanet in the near future.

2 comments:

  1. It works so well at the harbour that passenger cars are always driving into the freight entrance, and half the drivers come up against a barrier when trying to drive from the harbour to the port as per the sign posts.
    It seems amazing that we have convservation officers at TDC what do they actually produce, everything seems to be going to rack and ruin rather than being saved in any shape or form.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can think of some de cluttering that could be done in Cecil Square.

    ReplyDelete

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