Council's solution to busy rat run? Just put a sign up
THE county council has offered its solution to one of Southborough's most notorious rat runs – a sign.
Residents along a side road that runs parallel to St John's Road have campaigned for more than a year to stop drivers using the narrow route to skip traffic.
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no entry: Tony Mole is leading the campaign to stop drivers using his road as a shortcut TWSL20110125D-012_C
The small section of road is only supposed to be an access to homes set back from the A26, but impatient motorists use it to jump the queue at the traffic lights at the Speldhurst Road junction.
Homeowners wanted a solid barrier to block the shortcut, but the county council proposed a simple sign advising that the road is only for drivers with a "genuine need to access premises".
Kent County Council will now spend around £3,000 on hearing people's views for the idea.
Residents slammed it, saying drivers would ignore the sign and it would be "unpoliceable".
A committee of Tunbridge Wells borough councillors recommended asking the county council to reconsider.
Tony Mole, of St John's Road, who has led the residents' campaign since 2010, said: "It is very frustrating. It has now been more than a year since we first raised the issue. It is disappointing that we have done so much and there is still no progress."
"I am not going to let it rest. The residents and I feel passionately about it and it is not something we are going to give up on."
The county council rejected a barrier as it was felt there was no room to turn and drivers would have to reverse to exit the road.
Mr Mole responded: "There is enough room and a competent driver could make the turn."
Councillor Jane Marsh told the borough's scrutiny committee meeting: "If the council's only objection is the reversing, surely something can be sorted out?"
The committee has visited the site and reported that residents were facing "regular danger".
Chairman of the scrutiny committee Peter Waldock said: "They are spending £3,000 to do a consultation when it would take a worker half a day and probably less money to put some concrete bollards up. It is frustrating."
The county council refused to comment before we went to press.
6 Comments
by Jayaydee
Saturday, March 24 2012, 2:58PM
“Oh good grief, Swing! I've just climbed back onto my my trusty pc chair! Seriously, nice to hear from you again! Have a look at my other recent posts and see if there's anything else we can have a chat about? Do you post on The Independent or Telegraph Disqus threads?”
by MrSwing
Saturday, March 24 2012, 1:24PM
“Jayaydee
I actually agree with you on this one.”
by Jayaydee
Saturday, March 24 2012, 12:29PM
“Clarification: I meant the removal of the bus lane, not merely a road sign or consultation re the rat run. It's the unnecessary bus lane that's the real culprit. It's high time the KCC stopped taking actions that give car drivers far lower priority than buses. We need to get our roads moving, not add to congestion and tail backs!”
by Jayaydee
Saturday, March 24 2012, 12:24PM
“Brian Ransley, current cabinet portfolio holder for planning and transportation, has been urging this for a couple of years. KCC Highways officers and Councillors have seemingly ignored it?
Perhaps all residents in that area should write to their KCC Councillor, copied to the KCC Leader and KCC Highways, asking for their exact reasons why it hasn't been removed and when it will be?”
by Anglefix Ironmongers
Wednesday, March 14 2012, 12:29PM
“The best way to stop this road being used as a rat run is to take away the bus lane on A26. People are mainly only using this road to turn left down Speldhurst Road. The bus lane hardly makes any difference to the buses so take it out and make the road 2 lanes one for straight on and one for left turn.”
by MrsDisme
Saturday, February 18 2012, 1:23PM
“and I'm sure the residents of this road never use 'rat'runs' elsewhere??”