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Maidstone: Parking problems in Granville Road cause company HGV Direct to relocate

Parking issues on a busy industrial estate are causing concern for business owners and staff, with one company already relocating elsewhere.

Granville Road in Maidstone sees many vehicles coming and going from firms based there. It is also close to two schools.

The street hit the headlines when a Twitter user vented frustration at a car parked on the pavement – to avoid double yellow lines.

Liam Bryan from B and B Components
Liam Bryan from B and B Components

But Liam Bryan, who has worked at B and B Components for more than two years, says there are daily problems.

He said: “People have realised if they park half on the road and half on the curb that causes an obstruction to lorries, so they’ve taken to parking entirely on the pavement.

“I think the biggest problem is the inconvenience of vehicles getting stuck in the road.”

Problems with access meant one company made the decision to move out of the area.

HGV Direct left its unit last year, despite having a lease until March 2017. The company’s Kent branch is now in Aylesford.

Traffic problems on Granville Road, Maidstone
Traffic problems on Granville Road, Maidstone

Steven Powell, the accounts manager, has revisited the site to clear it out.

He said: “Granville Road is an absolute nightmare. Customers and deliveries couldn’t access the premises.

“The first time I saw the issues on the road I thought it was just school run time, but it’s just as bad any time of day.”

Maidstone Borough Council has been contacted publicly about the problems, but it states no formal complaints have been made about the road in the last six months.

Bad parking caught on camera in Granville Road
Bad parking caught on camera in Granville Road

Parking services manager Jeff Kitson said: “Yellow line restrictions are in place at either end of Granville Road to help protect junction sightlines for motorists and pedestrians.

“Our civil parking enforcement team ensure these restrictions are regularly enforced, and issue penalty charge notices to any vehicle contravening these.”

But the council is aware of the road getting blocked and is speaking to the Kent County Council to see if any measures can be put in place to resolve the issues.

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