Frustrated residents have branded plans to axe parking bays in a tourism hotspot “a total waste of money”.

Kent County Council (KCC) hopes to narrow a section of Broadstairs High Street to make pedestrian crossing easier.

However, opponents say the scheme will not only wipe out two “much needed” spaces in a notoriously tricky place to park - but drive shoppers away too.

Yet KCC argues the new traffic calming measures, set to be laid down next week, will “improve pedestrian accessibility within the immediate area”.

Peter Wood, who lives a stone’s throw from the stretch set to be modified, said: ”KCC say it’ll improve pedestrian access – they must be joking because how it’ll do that I don’t know.

“When drivers get out of their cars, they’re pedestrians anyway and the council is not widening the pavement.

“There are deliveries going on all day, where are they meant to go?

“The result of this will be making it more difficult to park and thus deterring visitors and shoppers from coming to our town centre.

“It will be a loss of trade for local shopkeepers.

“As always, another total waste of public money.”

While the project will not massively narrow the road – with a gap of 4.6 metres – it would see bollards placed outside Thanet Cars, Star of the Sea fish and chip shop, Iceland and Poundland.

This would impact lorries attempting to deliver to the area, with it likely drivers will be forced to park on double yellow lines to unload.

Mr Wood, a retired business owner, says this would go against KCC’s claims of improving safety in the area.

Just yards further down the road, there is already a bottleneck, which regularly causes queues as traffic heading in both directions tries to filter through a single lane.

The Crown pub landlord Crissi Girolamo also criticised the plans, saying: “I think it’s terrible, personally, because there’s little enough parking as it is.

“There’s been loads of complaints to the council, but they’ve taken no notice at all.”

A neighbouring business owner added: “The locals are completely against it, and that’s all there is. It’s a bad idea, and we don’t want it.”

It was noted that a similar project in Albion Street - part of an initiative during the first Covid lockdown to promote walking and improve air quality - was dug up after just three months.

First proposed in October last year, works will start on the latest scheme today (Monday) for five days.

It will mean a temporary closure of the carriageway between Queens Road and Charlotte Street.

A KCC spokesman said: “We are installing buildouts on the High Street in Broadstairs to create a pedestrian crossing point as part of our Casualty Reduction Programme, which aims to improve the safety of pedestrians.

“While the new crossing will be within the existing parking bays, this will not restrict the traffic flow and a total of two car parking spaces will be lost overall.

“As this is a busy High Street location, we are making improvements that will improve pedestrian safety and visibility, while balancing with traffic.”