A ‘draconian’ plan to stop people driving between neighbourhoods has come under fire for banning ‘free movement’ as it is approved for consultation.
Canterbury City Council is proposing to divide the city into five different districts, with drivers unable to cross between zones without being fined.
Instead, the council is asking residents to drive along a new bypass, which along with other A roads, would create a ring-road style approach.
To do so, they would have to leave their current neighbourhood and re-enter their chosen location via specific, newly permitted routes.
Anyone breaking the new driving rule would be hit with a fine when their movement is captured on number-plate recognition cameras, under the proposals.
Last week Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Eden-Green said the council has ‘no real idea of what it’s going to cost’, adding that it could total ‘about £100million’.
‘The government certainly is not going to stump up the money and we can’t either,’ he told Canterbury City Council’s cabinet at a meeting, Kent Online reported.
The project would stop drivers from using smaller roads that connect the five neighbourhoods, with the council closing the routes.
Residents would instead be encouraged to use public transport, walk or cycle their journey — or use the permitted routes to drive.
