Crockenhill: works go ahead at Green Court Road

I have worked with Crockenhill Parish Council and Kent Highways to improve safety at the junction of Cray Road, Main Road and Broadway for some years. Last year, high friction surfacing and an interactive sign were among the measures introduced, but more needs to be done. Although it seemed that we had some potential ways forward over a year ago, we have come up against the stumbling block that many of them would involve road closures that would be unacceptable to the Parish Council and to local opinion. Attempts to establish a safe crossing in the area have proved similarly difficult to take forward.

Having undertaken speed surveys in the area, we are now looking at a range of measures that would include  hanged to parking and to the interactive sign, as well as village signs. These can be paid for from money set aside from my Member a highway Fund for earlier versions of the scheme.  Meanwhile, there were a number of agreed enhancements to tackle speeding as traffic comes down to Broadway from Green Court Road that do not require a road closure, including safety fencing by the village green to highlight that pedestrians are approaching a road crossing.

Frustratingly, there have been a variety of delays and contractor problems. However, work started today to install the fencing. Additional works for which orders have been raised and which should be carried out in the near future include a SLOW sign in the road, improvements to signage and a refreshing of lines in the road around the junction. Hopefully this will be the start of further progress on tackling problems at the heart of Crockenhill.