Kent Highways is proposing no further action for changes to Beach Street, Deal, following the results of a traffic speed survey.

The speed survey carried out on the corner of the road by The Royal Hotel discovered the general speed of vehicles is below 30mph and therefore within the current speed limit.

Deal MP Charlie Elphicke urged KCC to carry out the speed test following an incident on the bend on Easter Monday when lay minister Paul Henderson, a pedestrian, was hit by a cyclist and flown by air ambulance to King’s College Hospital in London.

Mr Elphicke received a breakdown of the results of the survey. He said: “Out of 16,000 vehicles travelling northbound, only 130 were going faster than 30mph, and out of 16,300 going southbound, again only 150 were travelling more than 30mph.

“I have been deeply concerned about this stretch of road, and in view of this, I made sure it was speed tested. But evidence to get changes is sadly not present.

“The evidence is that the average speed is 19mph, which clearly makes it hard for me to make a case for action to be taken.”

A previous KentOnline poll discovered that 89% of readers thought the bend was dangerous.

Mr Elphicke said:“I do still feel there is a case for priority routing on that stretch and that’s why I will keep making my case to KCC.” County councillors for Deal and Walmer Mike Eddy and Eileen Rowbotham have proposed to use some of their members’ highways funding, which is more than £25,000, to make some changes.

Cllr Eddy said: “KCC are proposing no further action on the basis that drivers are respecting the speed limit. Cllr Eileen Rowbotham and I are looking if there are any permanent ways in making the area safe. We face a series of problems doing anything at this point. Whatever changes are made will interrupt the traffic when doing the works.

'I do still feel there is a case for priority routing on that stretch.' -Charlie Elphicke MP

“We can’t put in sleeping policemen as they will be noisy to the nearby residents, but we could put down different coloured road surfaces and more signage.

“We need to sit down with KCC and see what can be done at a sensible price.”