Reduced speed limits in Farningham and Horton Kirby

I have written before about the troubling crash history on the A20 as it passes through the edges of Farningham. A particularly horrific accident some eighteen months ago, resulting in the deaths of two young men, has since been demonstrated in the courts to be the result of driver behaviour (not that of the two young victims). However, as a continuous fast stretch of road, this section of the A20 is clearly susceptible to more serious crashes, resulting in deaths and serious injuries.

I have worked on this issue with Kent Highways officers and Farningham Parish Council, which has rightly been concerned. Kent Highways brought forward in August draft Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to address the issue. The philosophy has been to focus speed reductions in the area in which drivers are clearly approaching parts of the village, coming from the open road into a more residential area. Thus the speed limit will be reduced from 60mph to 40mph along the A20 Main Road/ Gorse Hill from the junction with London Road up to some 290 metres south-east of the junction with Eglantine Lane.

Similar reductions will apply on the A225 Dartford Road, which covers some of the northerly parts of Franingham (up to Calfstock Lane) and then becomes part of Horton Kirby. Speed along this road has also long been a concern to residents, and I have in the past worked with Kent Highways and local residents on signage improvements and the like. This, however, should be a more substantive measure. The new limit will apply the length of the road from the A20 roundabout to the border where Horton Kirby meets Sutton at Hone (which is the start of a 30mph zone).

Both sets of speed limits will be reinforced with a series of back to back repeater signs. There have been no objections to the draft TROs and so all is set to move ahead. The provisional date for implementation is 15 October, with a reserve date of a week later. This should be very welcome news.