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1 hour ago Robert Boddy Local Democracy Reporting Service Local Democracy Reporting Service Lauren Thompson is campaigning for an hour of free parking A campaign has been launched to provide an hour of free parking in town centres across Kent. Medway Council is being asked by two locals people to consider a year-long trial of the measure in at least one car park in each of the five towns - Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham and Strood. Council leader Vince Maple said: "I suspect the financial burden of this particular request will be substantial." Maple also said the demand comes "at a time when we are finding it challenging because of the pressures like adult social care on our budget". 'Affordable' In February, Medway Council reduced the cost of half-an-hour's parking from £1.90 to £1, in order to support high streets.
Davies and fellow campaigner Lauren Thompson submitted a petition for the move two weeks ago, which has received 71 signatures. Thompson said: "We're not saying that it's going to fix the problem, that it's going to eventually be affordable. "But what we want to say is, 'let's just try it.'" Medway Council told the LDRS it had previously modelled the cost of providing a free first hour in 15 town centre car parks and said it would be about £1.6m.
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Source: BBC
