A new road layout has sparked confusion among drivers and pedestrians.

Kent County Council rolled out the “continuous footway” at the Staplehurst Road T-junction, along Sittingbourne ’s busy A2, to reduce accidents at what it called a “crash cluster” site.

The "shared space" concept has been used successfully to lower speeds in places such as Ashford , where the whole town centre was converted in a £15.6million scheme in 2008.

But neighbours fear the confusing design off London Road, next to the Esso garage, is a recipe for accidents.

Penny Lovelock, who lives in nearby Cryalls Lane, said: “There are no kerbs to define the edge of the pavement or the road – no-one knows how it works and it’s incredibly dangerous.

“How would a visually-impaired person with a guide dog know there’s a road if there’s no kerb? The path just carries on. And what if you’re teaching a little one to stop at a kerb and wait to cross?”

The 61-year-old added: “It is a recipe for a nasty accident to occur there. I’m really fearful for when the schools reopen as loads of children use this route to get to and from school.

“No-one seems to know what’s instigated the need for this kind of set up there either and there’s no signage whatsoever explaining who has right of way.

“This shared space design is not something that should be used on a busy main road,” she added. “There have been reports of drivers going to turn into Staplehurst Road, then stopping because they thought it was a dead end and backing back out onto the main road.”

Mrs Lovelock said there was no warning the new layout was going to be done ahead of the works, which shut the road for about two weeks in August.

Cllr Mike Baldock, who represents Borden and Grove Park on Swale council, said he too was in the dark over the design which had appeared in his ward.

“I have asked our officers to find out what the idea behind it is. There’s no signage,” he said.

“I have watched pedestrians walk straight across without looking. There’s no warning to them that they’re in a shared space with cars and there’s no indication of priority.

“It’s designed to look like a cul-de-sac. I could see someone parking there and blocking the A2 completely!”

He added: “There was no consultation beforehand. I think it’s an incredibly dangerous situation and it’s right where a load of school kids walk.

“It’s a glaringly obvious concern.”

Another neighbour, Steve Wood, said he had seen a man posting a letter in the postbox on the corner of the junction having to jump over the wall into the garage forecourt because an artic lorry got too close to him when turning into the road on the new layout.

"There’s no footpath designation here now. I'm concerned about people's safety," he said.

Mr Wood, who has lived in Staplehurst Road for 28 years, added: "There are no signs or road markings. Leaving it like this is not an option."

Responding to a request for clarification this week, a Kent County Council spokesman said: “The raised continuous footway highlights to drivers that they are crossing a footway and that any pedestrians that are already crossing have priority over drivers turning in.

"The contrasting coloured surfacing and 25mm kerb at the front and rear ensure that pedestrians do not inadvertently step into the road.”

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