A grandmother is calling for CCTV to be installed at an accident blackspot after three of her cars were written off in crashes.
In the last 16 years of living in Marine Parade, Sheerness, some £12,000 of damage has been done to Amanda Green’s vehicles while they’ve been parked up.
After one of the crashes, the 65-year-old says the police were unable to prosecute the suspected drink-driver as there was no CCTV to show which of the two people inside the vehicle was behind the wheel.
The most recent accident happened in November 2022, when a car smashed into the back of her 2005 Kia Sorento in Richmond Street, off Marine Parade, while the Blue Badge holder was parking in a disabled bay.
While footage of the collision was captured on Ring doorbell footage, it was not clear enough to make out a number plate.
The other crash, which took place while she was parked in Marine Parade, occurred when the part-time hypnotherapist was out of town. There was no footage available.
On all three occasions, the grandmother’s vehicles were written off.
Then, last Wednesday (July 16), two of her tyres on her Vauxhall Zafira were slashed by vandals, which will cost her an estimated £150 to replace.
Two other vehicles were also targeted.
The former senior mental health worker was forced to retire due to a neurological condition, which makes getting around difficult. She says driving is the only way she can get around as taxis are “too expensive”.
The Sheppey native, who has lived on the Island for more than 62 years, now says “enough is enough” and that she wants a permanent CCTV opposite Richmond Street, near the Titan figurehead.
It’s not just damage to her property she’s worried about – she’s also pointed to the number of crashes further up the road, towards The Ship on Shore pub and Barton’s Point Coastal Park, where there have been two fatalities in five years.
A 20-year-old was killed in a crash in January last year. The pedestrian was hit by a VW Golf near the entrance to Barton’s Point.
Five years before, a 77-year-old woman died after a head-on collision between an Age UK minibus and a car near the yacht club.
The speed limit of 40mph is set to be reduced to 30mph along a portion of the road in a bid to reduce collisions.
But not satisfied with that alone, Ms Green is preparing a campaign for a permanent camera to be installed and hopes other residents will get on board.
The former Sheerness Town councillor said it will not only help authorities catch bad drivers but also help deter anti-social behaviour and prevalent fly-tipping in the area.
“It’s just gone on for far too long,” she added, “People have been talking about it, councils etc, so I’ve really just got to that point where I’m thinking that I want to take action.
“I’ve spoken to people and I think there’s going to be a lot of support for the local community.
“I’m going to need a lot of help with the campaign. I’m hoping for help to get the facts I need to back up the argument.
“Given the police requests locally over the last few years, for personal CCTV and doorbell cameras, there’s a huge argument for the addition of some CCTV.
“It’s a beautiful place to live and I really strongly believe a camera would just make it a lot cleaner, a lot safer and help the authorities cut the crime levels.”
To monitor the campaign – as well as highlight other problems in the area – she is in the process of launching a Facebook page called the Marine Town Community Action Group.
Meanwhile, Sheerness Town Council has confirmed the authority is bringing in three Hawk-Eye mobile cameras to the town – however, none of them will be in Marine Parade to start off with.
The contract was agreed in December, and the cameras, set to be operated by Swale council, are due to be installed in the next few weeks.
Sheerness Town Council chairman, Cllr Dolley Wooster, says the authority has decided to put the mobile surveillance in the most problematic areas initially.
She said: “The areas we have chosen are based on where we receive complaints, some of which are weekly.
“For example, I have mums telling me on a regular basis about not feeling safe to go out in the dark in one street due to poor lighting and lack of a camera.
“However, we can move the cameras to different locations if we feel they need CCTV and other areas no longer do.
“The cameras themselves have huge coverage to identify criminals but also act as a deterrent for crime.”
KentOnline has asked Sheerness Town Council how much these cameras have cost.
