Kentish Express Ashford & District
Fight for new speed limit gets support
Anxious residents are calling on the county council to reduce the speed limit and install crossing points in Kingsnorth amid concerns over pedestrian safety.
Cllr Heather Hayward - who is responsible for the Roman ward - has set up a petition after receiving more than 50 complaints from residents in Knights Park and Chartfields.
The campaign is calling on Kent County Council (KCC) to put a signalised pedestrian crossing in Britannia Lane and a footpath in Chart Road to enable pupils travelling to The John Wallis Academy to reach the site safely.
The Ashford Independent councillor is also looking for the speed limit between the Imagine play centre and the top of Long Length to be reduced to 30mph as she says the current use of a national speed limit is “totally unsuitable for a residential area”.
So far, the petition has received more than 170 signatures.
“It has been set up because a number of residents have contacted me about their concerns about Britannia Lane, Chart Road and Long Length,” said Cllr Hayward.
“I have paid for 30mph stickers to use around the estate and on residents’ wheelie bins using a grant from Ashford Borough Council to stop people using the area as a race track.”
Nadine Drelaud, 41, of Chart Road, has been assisting Cllr Hayward with the campaign as she fears someone is going to get killed if steps are not taken to improve the road infrastructure.
“There’s a 60mph limit right outside Imagine,” she said.
“A lot of people walk along it to get to school and there’s no footpath on most of the road - it’s effectively like walking on a dual carriageway.
“A little girl was run over a couple of years ago and, with all the new buildings coming along, it’s only a matter of time before someone is going to get hurt again.
“The amount of near-misses I have seen is scary.
“Someone is going to get killed and we are passionate about preventing it.”
The mum-of-one has been delivering leaflets to houses around the area to promote the campaign.
She added: “One of the developers was due to donate £150,000 to build a Chartfields Community Centre.
“There are very few areas where there are 60mph limits going up to houses and schools.
“Rather than that money going back to the development, it would be nice to invest the money into the road network, as we know that we are not going to be able to build a community centre for £150,000.”
KCC told the Kentish Express the petition would be debated at a council meeting if it reaches 1,000 signatures.
A council spokesman said: “Petitions via our website will receive a response from the highways cabinet member and this will also be published on the website.
“If a petition reaches 1,000 signatures it will be debated at the most appropriate local meeting, in this case the Ashford Joint Transportation Board.
“KCC is aware of residents’ concerns and a traffic survey will be taking place to ascertain whether safety engineering could be required in the area.”
■ To read and sign the petition, visit KCC's website at bit. ly/341RBC5