Children in Maidstone and Bearsted desperately need two new schools and I’ve fought to get them open as soon as possible - including helping secure funding . But I know local councillors are worried there might be gridlock on Bearsted Road at the end of the school day, when parents will be arriving to pick up children.
There are just 35 parking places, and no option of roadside parking – so that doesn’t sound enough for a two-form entry primary school.
Ideally most children would walk to school, and the planning application includes pedestrian crossings to make that easier, but we have to be realistic and understand walking won’t work for everyone.
I’ve asked Schools Minister Lord Agnew Minister to consider the Councillors’ suggestions to open up access to the school from the KIMS site. This would hopefully cause less queuing and given parents the option of roadside parking.
We badly need these schools and I know it’s been difficult to find a location for them. We can’t have children without a school to go to, but nor can we have havoc at home time.
