Residents want speeding to stop on Haine Road
Since the New Haine Road was built residents say they have endured angry motorists swearing at them and speeding cars clipping off wing mirrors.
Tina and John Howard, who have three children, have lived in the road for 15 years and say they have been promised that the road would be closed to traffic and used as access only.
Mrs Howard said: “The main problem is the speeding day and night. I would say the vast majority of people are doing at least 40mph and that is no longer the speed limit.
“When we park our cars on the road it’s the sheer anger of some of the drivers. You get all sorts of gestures and people roll their windows down and swear.”
On Tuesday, a committee made up of members of Thanet and Kent councils agreed to a public consultation to see whether residents want speed bumps.
When the new link road opened in November, a 7.5-tonne weight limit was imposed on the road and the speed limit reduced to 30mph.
The board acknowledged that the new link road is a longer route for through traffic with two roundabouts.
The report said: “It was inevitable that the old Haine Road would remain an attractive route for traffic and that further traffic management measure might be required.”
Surveys in April and May show the split of traffic is 53 per cent on old Haine Road and 47 per cent on the new link road. The average speed recorded along the old Haine Road is 38mph.
Residents say they want the road closed off and while the report acknowledges previous promises that it would be closed it has been decided that it is not possible.
Ward councillors Mark Nottingham and Liz Green support residents. They have said that when work starts on projects such as the East Kent Opportunities business park and thousands of new homes planned for nearby, serious thought needs to be put into the road layout.
It is expected that £50,000 will be spent on speed bumps by Kent Highways and work should begin in September.
Comment on this story