To: Maidstone Joint Transport Board
By: Tim Read, Head of Transportation
Date: 21st January 2015
Subject: Petitions Report
Classification: For Information
Summary: The purpose of this report is to provide members with a progress report on petitions currently being considered by KCC Highways and Transportation
- Petitions Received
Petition to reduce the existing speed limit on the A20 Ashford Road, Lenham to 40mph and on Faversham Road to 30mph.
- Work undertaken
A petition containing 72 signatures was received on 15th October 2014 at the previous meeting of this board. Kent County Council Highways and Transportation investigated this request.
There have been a number of recent planning applications made on sites adjacent to and accessed from the A20 Ashford Road. If successful these will alter the characteristics of Ashford Road, which currently has little housing directly fronting the road with the exception of the properties near the Faversham Road junction. As a statutory consultee to the planning process, Kent County Council has requested that as part of these developments the current national limit on the A20 is reduced to 50mph which is supported by recent speed data. An artificially low speed limit can lead to additional overtaking manoeuvres and can be counterproductive in terms of road safety, therefore a 40mph limit is considered inappropriate.
The junction of Faversham Road has also been identified as part of this year’s review of crash cluster sites. The site will be looked at in conjunction with Kent Police and any engineering measures to try to address these crashes will be considered as appropriate. This review will take place in the next few weeks.
With regards to Faversham Road, the level of development would not currently support the introduction of a lower speed limit.
Contact Officer: Michael Heath
Tel: 03000 418181