A SCHEME to make West Malling a safer place for shoppers by reducing the High Street speed limit to 20mph is set to go ahead.

Cabinet members at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council have voted in favour of imposing the reduced speed limit and to look into two possibilities for a pedestrian crossing.

The crossing, which could also include a new traffic island, could either be placed between the public car park and the Five Pointed Star pub, or further along the High Street near St Mary's Church.

The traffic calming scheme will be jointly funded by Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Kent County Council. A study on where the pedestrian crossing should be placed has now been launched and work is expected to begin on the scheme next month.