20 mph Zone & KCC Highways Improvement
UPDATE ON HAVE YOUR SAY
Would you like a 20mph zone near the village green?
Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parish Council have been working alongside Kent County Council on ideas to make our area safer for all road users and residents. Following significant concern about excess speed, and lots of work with Kent County Council we wanted to hear whether residents thought that a proposed 20mph zone near the village green would be a good idea.
Your answer was 'yes'. All respondents answered that it was a good idea, and followed this up with their detailed comments about the plans and suggestions for future improvements. Thank you for the time put in to the comments which give us useful evidence for KCC. We'll be publishing a summary here of the responses.
What's next?
Kent County Council can next start the legal process (Traffic Regulation Order) to get the changes put into law. This can be quite time-consuming.
Background
Kent County Council look after the roads (not motorways) in Kent.
A Highway Improvement Plan (HIP) is something that the Kent County Council are asking Parish Councils to use to tell them about areas of local concern. Boughton Aluph & Eastwell Parish has a HIP.
The Parish Council has been working with our neighbouring parishes, looking at crash and roads data and reviewing information gathered during Neighbourhood Plan surveys and correspondence to the Parish Council.
What did we ask for in our plan?
A251 (Faversham Road)
speed reductions, traffic islands, calming measures
Lees Road, Wye Road, Pilgrims Way, Brewhouse Lane & Church Lane
speed reductions, paint effect calming, quiet lanes
Sandyhurst Lane & Lenacre Street
speed reductions & paint effect calming
Why 20mph in the Boughton Lees area of the Parish?
Highways examined our plan and proposals in detail. KCC have used their data alongside national roads guidance and told the Parish Council that a 20 mph scheme around the Wye Road, Lees Road and Pilgrims Way (part) area is the scheme that they can support and will likely succeed in lowering speeds and increasing safety for vulnerable road users.
Speed data was gathered earlier this year from test boxes. We were fortunate to get these funded by KCC. Data showed that in the proposed area speeds were low enough (this is necessary) that most people will comply with a 20mph limit. They also judge that the road conditions and appearance are suitable for a 20mph zone.
Why only the area around the Green & Wye Road, why not speed reductions elsewhere?
Any work on the highways has to been designed by and approved by Kent County Council Highways. Our other requests for speed changes are not possible due to the road conditions.
How much will it cost?
KCC has estimated £20,000. We have budgeted for Highways work in the 2023/2024 budget. KCC contractors carry out the work, we cannot look for a cheaper quote. The £20,000 includes design fees, fees for the Traffic Regulation order (the legal part) as well as the new signs.
Why aren’t KCC Highways paying?
We were fortunate to have the speed surveys funded by Highways, but there isn’t funding for Parish suggested traffic solutions.
The Parish Council is keen to hear your views on the proposed 20mph zone in advance of the formal KCC process to consider the plans.
Further Information:
the traffic improvement plan submitted by the Parish Council for consideration by KCC
