More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
It seems the public is not yet ready to embrace 20mph speed zones.
At the start of Covid, Kent County Council was awarded £1.6m from the Government's Emergency Active Travel Fund to spend on schemes to encourage walking and cycling.
In Tonbridge, the county council decided to spend its share of that money on extending a 20mph speed limit zone across much of the town centre - the idea being, that with traffic going slower, people would be more willing to walk or cycle.
But the scheme has not found public support.
It was introduced in September 2020, with the council using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to allow the scheme to run for 18 months without the usual degree of consultation in advance.
However a consultation has been carried out in the interim and 1,123 responses received.
But analysis shows the majority of the people who responded to the questionnaire objected to the idea of a town-wide 20mph scheme, with 74% of people opposed.
Many thought the limits would cause additional congestion and safety issues.
Most people also disagreed that the 20mph limits would make Tonbridge healthier (64%), safer (56%) or cleaner (63%).
The findings have left KCC with a conundrum.
It will decide in November whether the scheme should stay, stay on a reduced basis, or be abandoned altogether.
Some roads were considered more unsuitable for 20mph than others. For example, 166 people objected to the inclusion of Shipbourne Road. No-one objected to the inclusion of Leigh Road.
The issue will be discussed by both county and borough councillors at a meeting of the Joint Transportation Board on Monday, September 20, at 7.30pm in the council chamber at Kings Hill.
