Council backs 20MPH Speed Reduction Proposal for Ulley Road, The Street, Nettlefield and surrounding roads

COUNCIL BACKS 20 MPH SPEED REDUCTION PROPOSAL FOR ULLEY ROAD, THE STREET, NETTLEFIELD AND SURROUNDING ROADS 

 

The Council has backed residents who voted overwhelmingly for the introduction of 20 mph speed limits for Ulley Road, The Street, Nettlefield and surrounding roads out to (but not including) Canterbury Road and Faversham Road. On the basis of the public consultation, it voted unanimously to request Kent Highways to introduce the limit. The proposal is number one in the Council’s priorities within its Highways Improvement Plan for 2024. 

 

The proposal is for a 20mph speed limit to include streets between Faversham Road and Canterbury Road (from Penlee Point to Ulley Road, Ball Lane and The Street), excluding Canterbury Road and Faversham Road. Specifically, this would involve: 

 

• A 20mph zone for all streets in this area 

 

• 20mph signs at all entry points 

 

• A Traffic Regulation Order to make the new limit enforceable 

 

An informal consultation was held from 16 May to 5 July 2024. Leaflets were delivered to all addresses in the proposed scheme area, together with immediately adjacent streets, and the consultation was advertised on the Council’s website and social media channels. 

 

A total of 289 responses were received. Of these 218 (75%) agreed that there is a speeding issue in the area, and a slightly higher number 231 (80%) agreed with the proposal to decrease the speed limit to 20mph. This level of responses was far higher than was achieved in the consultation for the first 20 mph zone in Kennington around Bybrook Road. 

 

The 58 respondents who replied No to the consultation provided additional comments which were broadly in the following categories: 

 

• The scheme is not needed – 14 

• The scheme would not be enforceable – 1 

• The scheme would not be effective – 17 

• Respondent wanted another solution - 21 

• No supporting comment – 5 

 

In submitting the report to Kent Highways, the Council has also taken note of concerns about the risk of non-compliance. In September it arranged an open recruitment meeting for the Kennington Speedwatch group. If all of those who attended and expressed interest in joining the group actually complete the training, this could as much as treble the number of residents regularly surveying speeds and reporting to Kent Police. 

 

Suggestions that the 20 mph zone should be extended further will be looked at when the Council updates its Highways Improvement Plan early in 2025. Previous measures implemented under that Plan have included the reinstatement of a controlled crossing – a ‘lolipop crossing’ – between the infant and junior school within the new 20 mph proposed area; recruitment to that position is currently awaiting clearance by Kent Police under the enhanced DBS or Disclosure and Barring Service checks.