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Petitions update July 2010 JTB

Update on Petitions submitted to Kent Highway Services

 

A report by the Head of Transport & Development to the Joint Transportation Board

 

 


Summary

 

  1. A report to update the Board on the current status of petitions received by Kent Highway Services (KHS) and notification of any new petitions received since the last meeting.

 

Traffic Calming Measures, Heath Road, Coxheath

 

  1. A petition was submitted in April 2008 by 59 residents, lead by Mr A R Monk of Westerhill Road, Coxheath.  It sought action to improve the traffic calming measures installed along Heath Road, Coxheath as the petitioners felt these were dangerous.

 

  1. As reported in the schemes update report at the last meeting of this Board, officers advised a review of the traffic calming scheme in Coxheath would be carried in time to report the outcome to this Board.  Unfortunately, major temporary traffic management caused by the roadworks necessary for Scotia Gas Networks’ mains replacement have prevented meaningful data to be gathered.  Accordingly, the Coxheath review has been deferred until the roadworks are complete and the traffic calming features are reinstated.

 

Request for the Implementation of a Weight Restriction through Yalding

 

  1. A petition was submitted in September 2008 by Yalding Parish Council with over 570 signatures supporting a previous request for a weight restriction through Yalding and that surveys of lorry movements through Yalding and East Farleigh be undertaken.

 

  1. Through discussions with the local Members and the Parish Council funding has been secured to carry out HGV surveys in the Yalding area. The cost of these surveys will be in the region of £4,500 and is being funded from Cllr Stockell’s Member Highway Fund and a contribution from TRAMP. It has been agreed these surveys will take place in September to avoid any impact summer holidays may have on the results and the agricultural traffic is heaviest due to the fruit and hop harvest.

 

Closure of Pheasant Lane, Maidstone South

 

  1. A petition was submitted in August 2008 by some 120 residents, lead by Mr David Frais of Osborne House, Loose Road of the Pheasant Lane Action Group which sought the closure of Pheasant Lane to vehicles other than for residential access.  The petitioners felt the lane was being used as a rat run, was too narrow for the volume of traffic has too many blind bends with drivers driving too fast and pedestrians are at great risk.

 

  1. At the October 2009 meeting of this Board it was approved to close Pheasant Lane to all through traffic on an experimental basis. The closure will come into operation on Monday 26th July 2010.

 

Road Safety Measures along Walderslade Woods Road

 

  1. Kent Highway Services received a petition from Mrs Gillian Tatnell from Walderslade Woods with 212 signatures requesting a reduction in speed limit with traffic islands and hatching. The petition received the support of Boxley Parish Council although Walderslade Woods Road falls within both Maidstone and Tonbridge and Malling and his been reported to both Joint Transportation Boards.

 

  1. At the last meeting of this Board it was reported that KHS had submitted a bid for funding through the Local Transport Plans Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12 for a scheme consisting of gateway signage improvements, improvements to the side road junction warning signs and also to provide traffic islands to protect right turning traffic. An update on the Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12 can not be given until the implications of the Governments Comprehensive Spending Review and the budget for 2011/12 are known.

 

Speed Limit Review on the A20 through Harrietsham

 

  1. As previously reported to this Board KHS had received a petition from residents of Harrietsham and Lenham in response to the review of speed limit on A20. 48 Pages of signatures were received highlighting residents’ extreme disappointment of the review carried out by the County Council on the speed limit on the A20 through Harrietsham and Lenham. The petition requested that a new review is carried out which looks at implementing speed reduction measures along the route. The petition was passed to the speed limit review team to respond to the issues raised in the petition.

 

  1. As reported to this Board the Speed Limit Review has recently been suspended due to Government reductions in grant funding. Once the full implication of the suspension of the review is understood a further update will be reported to this Board.

 

Residents of Tovil Green Court

 

  1. It was reported to this last meeting of this Board that a petition, containing 31 signatures, had been received from the residents of Tovil Green Court, Maidstone requesting the provision of pedestrian facilities along Burial Ground Lane and Farleigh Hill to enable better pedestrian access to Tesco’s and Lidl’s.

 

  1. A scheme consisting of a new footway together with an enhancement of the crossing facilities along Tovil Hill has been submitted for funding through the through the Local Transport Plans Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12. An update on the Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12 cannot be given until the implications of the Governments Comprehensive Spending Review and the budget for 2011/12 are known.

 

Penenden Heath Pre-School, Maidstone

 

  1. It was reported to this last meeting of this Board that a petition, containing 99 signatures, had been received from the local residents and parents of children at Penenden Heath Pre-School, Maidstone requesting safety improvements along the road approaching Penenden Heath Roundabout from Boxley Village.

 

  1. A scheme consisting of a crossing on the Boxley Road (between The Bull and the mini-roundabout) has been submitted for funding through the Local Transport Plans Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12. An update on the Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12 cannot be given until the implications of the Governments Comprehensive Spending Review and the budget for 2011/12 are known.

 

  1. Cllr Chittenden is however funding, via the Member Highway Fund, a scheme to install 30 mph repeater roundels on Boxley Road in the 30mph section without street lighting from the mini roundabout heading west together with a junction warning sign, SLOW road markings and red surfacing at the Boxley Road / Neville Close junction. These improvements should help to reduce traffic speeds in the area.

 

Pedestrian Crossing on Loose Road between Armstrong Road & The Wheatsheaf

 

  1. It was reported to this last meeting of this Board that a petition, supported by 186 signatures, had been received from the local residents requesting a Pedestrian Crossing on Loose Road between Armstrong Road & The Wheatsheaf. KHS have commissioned Jacobs, with funding from Cllr Chell’s Member Highway Fund, to carry out pedestrian surveys in this area to ascertain the demand for a pedestrian crossing. Once the result of these surveys have been analysed a further update will be reported to this board.

 

Parking Issues Tudor Avenue

 

  1. It was reported to this last meeting of this Board that KHS had been passed a petition with 54 signatures from the residents of Tudor Avenue, Maidstone requesting parking restrictions be implemented to deal with commuter parking that the residents feel is causing potential road safety problems.

 

  1. KHS will be advertising a Traffic Regulation Order giving notice of the intention to install double yellow lines at certain points along Tudor Avenue to improve road safety. It is proposed that the existing single yellow lines at the Tudor Avenue / Park Avenue junction be made into double yellow lines and be extended 15m north and double yellow line corner protection be installed at the Tudor Avenue / Norman Close and Tudor Avenue / Sittingbourne Road junctions.

 

  1. If the County Council receive any objections to these proposals they will be reported back to this Board in due course.

 

Sutton Road Service Road

 

  1. It was reported to this last meeting of this Board that KHS had received a petition supported by 55 out of the 66 residents in Sutton Road service road raising concerns over the volume and speed of traffic using the service road to avoid the traffic signals on the A274. KHS has commissioned a traffic survey to ascertain the extent of the volume of traffic bypassing the signals on the A274 and using the service road instead. Once the result of these surveys have been analysed a further update will be reported to this board.

 

New Petitions Received

 

  1. At the time of writing this report KHS have not received any new petitions since the last meeting of this board.

 

 


Accountable Officer:              Andy Corcoran 01622 798378