When the people of Westerham were asked to comment on the initial reports produced by the survey teams, the extension of the Beggars Lane bypass was one of their most oft-repeated requests.
However, we have to recognise that the Squerryes sandpits are a formidable obstacle which may make it difficult for the extended bypass to reach the A25 to the west, and may force it to stop instead at the Croydon Road. In that event only traffic between Sevenoaks and the Croydon direction would be able to bypass the town.
Alternatively, a complete bypass might be achieved by using land already owned by the Council, close alongside the M25.
While we hope that the authorities will continue to strive for a solution to relieve the problem of through traffic, we suggest that far tighter control could be exercised on the vehicles which stop in the town. There should be a greater insistence on the use of the existing public car parks through tougher policing of parking regulations. There should also be a requirement that any new housing liable to attract residents' cars (i.e. not sheltered housing) includes in its plans a reasonable provision for those cars to park.
Although the town is not particularly short of public car parks (the Darenth facility, for example, is seldom if ever full), these are not well sited for the visitor who wants to eat, drink or shop in the centre. And that, clearly, is a major snag - for if Westerham's commerce is to survive, it must be kept attractive and convenient to the visiting motorist.
We appreciate that official policy does not favour making car parks entirely free of charge, since this would remove any sanction against dumping. But long-term parkers might make more use of the Darenth and Quebec Avenue car parks if the charge were reduced to a merely nominal sum to make up for their inconvenient siting.
For shoppers and others who need to park for shorter periods, we recommend that pay-and-display facilities should be installed on the north side of Market Square and in the thirteen public spaces to be contained in the new develop-ment behind the Kings Arms. .......>
