Residents see red over lurid 20mph road markings
FLUORESCENT red surfaces installed on roads in a Kent seaside town have prompted a flood of complaints from residents who say they spoil the area.
Nine junctions in Herne Bay have been highlighted with the vivid paint to warn motorists they are entering a 20mph zone.
Highways bosses insist the colour is “appropriate to provide a contrast” and ensure approaching drivers are aware of them. However, those who live nearby are unimpressed.
John Sheering, a retired policeman who lives next to one of the newly painted sections, saw men start the work in the middle of the night.
“My dog alerted me, it was like a spaceship had landed. I looked out of the window to see what the commotion was and thought it was just normal roadworks.
“The road markings are way too much, they look awful too. Surely the simple 20mph roundel would have sufficed,” he said.
Sue Perry, another resident, called the markings “hideous”.
She said: “They are lurid, over the top and spoil the area. We had no warning and it’s just a waste of money.” James Wightman, who runs Herne Bay Motorcycles in The Broadway, said: “The crazy thing is that they even painted over a pothole, perhaps they should tackle them first.”
The idea for a 20mph zone in the town was announced in 2021, and the project was given the green light after a public consultation in 2022.
The project has been funded through an Active Travel Government grant to encourage walking and cycling and the 20mph zone is expected to be complete by the end of this month.
Dan Watkins, a Herne Bay city and county councillor who was instrumental in bringing the zone to the town, admitted the colour was “a little garish” and that concerns had been raised with him directly.
But he added: “I have been reassured by our highway engineers that it will mellow over time, and that has been the experience in other locations.
“But perhaps it is good to be bright at the start so it gets the message across and everyone is aware.
“There were 66 recorded road accidents in the area now covered by the 20mph zone in the last five years, and that is what we need to reduce.”