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

 

2. 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.

 

3. As previously reported KHS had agreed to carry out a review of the safety record in Coxheath, further speed checks and complete the safety audit of the existing scheme. This work had been delayed due to gas works however, these are now finished and the review can be concluded. On completion of the review it was agreed that a further meeting will be held with the Cabinet for Highways, the local Member and the Parish Council.

 

Request for the Implementation of a Weight Restriction through Yalding

 

4. 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.

 

5. It was reported at the last meeting of this Board that the surveys would be carried out in September however, due to roadwork’s in the area that would have affected the results  these have had to be been postponed. A new date is currently being programmed with our consultations Jacobs.

 

Closure of Pheasant Lane, Maidstone South

 

6. 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.

 

7. At the October 2009 meeting of this Board it was approved to close Pheasant Lane to all through traffic on an experimental basis and the closure came into operation on Monday 26^th July 2010.  The legal process requires that a minimum of six months passes before a decision can be made to make the closure permanent.

 

Road Safety Measures along Walderslade Woods Road

 

8. 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.

 

9. At the last meeting of this Board it was reported that KHS had submit ted 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.

 

Residents of Tovil Green Court

 

10. 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.

 

11. 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 Local Transport Plans Integrated Transport Programme for 2011/12. 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.

 

Penenden Heath Pre-School, Maidstone

 

12. 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.

 

13. A scheme consisting of a crossing on the Boxley Road (between The Bull and the mini-roundabout) 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 can not be given until the implications of the Governments Comprehensive Spending Review and the budget for 2011/12 are known.

 

14. 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

 

15. This request was initiated following the submission of a petition, supported by 186 signatures, which was first reported to this board in April 2010. Following receipt of this petition KHS commissioned Jacobs to undertake a full pedestrian movement survey. This was funded from Cllr Chell’s Member Highway Fund budget and the survey was undertaken on Monday 19th June 2010 and covered the section of Loose Road between Armstrong Road and The Wheatsheaf junction.

 

16. Kent Highway Services subsequently commissioned Jacob’s to undertake a review of both existing pedestrian crossing facilities and the potential to install new pedestrian facilities on the same section of Loose Road. This was to include the potential for upgrading the exiting traffic signal junction at Armstrong Road and to identify the cost of any proposed measures. This work is still on going and a further report covering the findings of these studies will be reported to the next meeting of this board.

 

Parking Issues Tudor Avenue

 

17. 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.

 

18. 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. 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

 

19. KHS 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. At the last meeting of this board it was reported that KHS had commissioned a survey to establish the extent of the volume of traffic which was using the service road section of Sutton Road, bypassing the junction with Nottingham Avenue.

 

20. A full number plate matching survey was undertaken on Thursday 22^nd July 2010. The matching process proved time consuming for Jacob’s and unfortunately KHS has only just received the results of this survey. Therefore, it has not been possible to undertake analysis of the findings in time for this meeting and further report will be reported to the next board.

 

Speed Limit Review on the A20 through Harrietsham

 

21. 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.

 

22. As reported to this Board the Speed Limit Review has recently been suspended due to Government reductions in grant funding. In August 2010 Nick Chard the Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways & Waste wrote to all Members and Parish Councils updating them on the County Councils position with regards to the review of speed limits and a copy of that letter is attached to this report. In the letter it outlines that in cases where a speed limit demonstrates a quantifiable injury crash saving a funding bid will be made accordingly. Therefore, Kent Highways Services are currently reviewing the personal injury crash record on the A20 through Harrietsham to ascertain whether a bid can be made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

20mph Speed Limits Around Schools

 

23. At the last meeting of this board a petition was received calling upon Kent County Council to review its policy on speed limits starting with those around schools.  The petitioners would ideally like a 20mph speed limit in all residential areas, but to start with they called for the Council to pro-actively work with schools, and where there is a request from parents and support from local residents to implement 20mph speed limits in the area around that school.  This to be done in full consultation with the community.

 

24. As reported due to Government reductions in grant funding the County Council has suspended its speed limit review. However, safety remains a priority for the Highway Authority and where a speed limit demonstrates a quantifiable injury crash saving a funding bid will be made accordingly. The County Council reviews the safety record on every road in Kent as part of its annual crash remedial measures programme and where appropriate promotes safety measures including reductions in speed limits. This year’s review has just begun and particular attention will be paid on the crash records involving vulnerable road users including children and especially outside schools.

 

25. The County Council also works with Schools to prepare School Travel Plans which look into the road safety issues arising at the school and recommends safety measures and where appropriate reductions in speed limits. This approach which looks at each school and its individual and specific problems is preferred to a blanket approach and provides better more effective and targeted solutions.

 

26. The request for a change in the County’s speed limit policy has been passed to the Road Safety Policy team to be considered and Kent Highway Services will continue to investigate and promote safety measures for Schools on an individually targeted basis as explained above.

 

The withdrawal of the Arriva 101 Service from Bus Stops at Cobtree Golf Course and Salisbury Road, Kits Coty

 

27. At the last meeting of this Board a petition was submitted calling for the reinstatement of the 101 Service to the Cobtree Golf Course Bus Stop. A separate report has been submitted to this Board concerning this issue.

 

New Petitions Received

 

Postley Road, Maidstone

 

28. A petition has recently been received from the residents of Postley Road, Maidstone which raises concern over the dangerous and increasingly unacceptable use of the road by buses including speeding. Kent Highway Services have acknowledged the petition and are investigating the issues raised by the petitioners and will report back with our findings in due course.

 

 

Accountable Officer:              Andy Corcoran 01622 798378