New Southeastern timetable - and good news for Otford

The new Southeastern timetable, published today, includes the excellent news of an hourly service (twice hourly in rush hour) from Maidstone East to London Bridge and Charing Cross, stopping at Otford and Swanley. From Otford (I declare an interest in this as my local station) the journey to London Bridge will be just under 30:minutes, and 40 minutes to Charing Cross.

Along with many others, KCC has (in particular through our Rail Strategy) urged these changes over a long period. We are currently reviewing all the details of the timetable, which will come into force on 11 December. There are some changes elsewhere in the system that can be viewed less favourably, such as those on the Medway Valley line, which will cease (off peak) at Paddock Wood rather than Tonbridge (though even here there will be positive features, with the restoration of a half hourly weekday service throughout the day. And there may yet be other detailed features that are less positive. Yet overall this appears a very good outcome for a network that is being recast for a post-Covid world of reduced passenger numbers (especially at peak hours) and large-scale dependence on government subsidy.

Childsbridge Lane speed limit reduction approved

At Wednesday’s meeting of the Sevenoaks Joint Transportation Board (JTB), the Board reviewed the proposed reduction in the speed limit on Childsbridge Lane between Kemsing and Seal from National Speed Limit (60 mph) to 40 mph. This proposal had been at the head of Seal Parish Council’s Highways Improvement Plan (HIP). Its aim is to reduce speeds near the entry points to the villages, and especially the approach to the railway bridge near Seal.

Since there were a number of objections to the proposal, the JTB had to consider it and decide whether to proceed. Both the chairman of Seal Parish Council and I spoke in favour of the speed limit reduction. I sought to address the concern, which was expressed by a number of the objectors, that this would be a substitute or diversion from the need to create a secure path for pedestrians on the bridge.

This has been a significant concern for residents and one that I support. However, neither the parish council nor I see the proposed speed limit reduction as a diversion from addressing the issue. The biggest problem so far has been one of visibility on the approaches to the bridge, which has vitiated efforts to create a priority system needed to narrow the road and give the space necessary for a secure pedestrian path. This is a difficult issue, and one that we continue to work to address, but quite separate from that of the speed limit. The intention of the reduction is to improve safety but this does not preclude other actions on the bridge when they can be delivered.

The JTB approved the proposed speed limit reduction and it can now be implemented.

A225: Draft Order for speed limit reduction

Kent County Council has placed a proposed Speed Limit Order for the A225 Shoreham Road on public deposit, starting today (16 September). This will continue until 10 October.

The Order proposes reducing the speed limit from the current National Speed Limit:

-  To 50 mph from a point 83 metres southwest of the junction with Station Road Eynsford (in other words, on the edges of Eynsford village) to a point 476 metres north of the junction with Station Road Shoreham; and

- To 40 mph from this point to one 95 metres south of the junction with Fackenden Lane (the start of the approach to Otford)

This is a proposal on which I have worked with Shoreham Parish Council and Kent Highways officers over several years. There have been detailed discussions and debates over where exactly the limits should be placed, and a lot of work has gone into harmonising community wishes with the judgements of Kent Highways and the role of Kent Police as the enforcement authority.

Shoreham PC has long argued for this change, and, if enacted, it should enhance safety at the junction with Station Road in particular. It should also, by reducing speeds near and south of Shoreham, reinforce the 30mph on Shoreham Road Otford. Eynsford Parish Council has also been engaged and supportive though there is much less direct effect on Eynsford than on Shoreham.

The details of the proposals can be found on KCC’s highways consultations page, and you can make representations supporting or objecting to the proposals via the page, or by writing to KCC: The Senior Parking & Traffic Regulation Officer, Traffic Management Team, Highways & Transportation, Kent County Council, Ashford Highway Depot, Henwood Industrial Estate, Javelin Way, Ashford TN24 8AD.

Wested Lane closure delayed

Residents of Crockenhill and neighbouring areas have experienced severe disruption on a number of occasions reflecting ongoing Network Rail works, which in particular have closed Wested Lane.

A further, quite lengthy closure was due to start this morning (running for eight days, 14-21 September). KCC Streetworks raised challenges over the length and impact of the closure, but Network Rail and their contractors were clear that the complexity of the works, and the inability to store equipment on site overnight, meant that the length of the closure could not be reduced. 

However, the closure has now been delayed because Network Rail wanted to prevent disruption to train services to London in the days leading up to and including that of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral. At present we do not have a new date for the closure.

New bollards (and replacements) for Lombard Street

Ten days ago, Kent County Council installed twenty nine new wooden bollards in Lombard Street, running up the hill from the end of the existing black and white bollards. The verge, which had been damaged by vehicles, has also been made safe. 

These works fill in a significant gap which was resulting in damage to the verge. Residents’ other concern has been the bad effect on local amenity of the black and white posts that had already been installed. The local Kent Highways team has succeeded in finding scope within its very limited budgets to first install the black and white bollards, and now to replace them with wooden bollards. An order has been placed and the replacement by the new bollards should take place before the end of the year.

KCC has limited direct involvement in the issues on and around the Oakview Stud Farm, though we work with other key partners such as the District and Parish Councils to help address them. The highway consequences of activity in the area are, however, our direct responsibility and we continue to address those.

Her Majesty the Queen: Book of Condolences and Proclamation of King Charles III

It is hard to find the right words to respond to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - especially when so much has been said so well, whether by our national leaders, ordinary people across the country or world leaders such as (to pick out two particularly eloquent examples) Canada’s Justin Trudeau and President Macron of France. 

Political leaders in Kent County Council sought to make our contribution in this statement, and I also had the opportunity to speak about The Queen and her connection to the county on Radio Kent yesterday. For me, the two thoughts that stay with me most strongly are the way in which The Queen’s self -effacing ethos of service (in sharp contrast to a general tendency in much contemporary culture towards celebrity and self-absorption) nonetheless led so many people to feel a personal bond with her; and how her strict adherence to being a politically neutral constitutional monarch did not prevent her from making history (as in her extraordinary visit to Ireland in 2011) or from speaking for all of us, as in her broadcast early in the pandemic.

A Book of Condolence is open at Sessions House in County Hall between 9am and 5pm every day; I had the opportunity to sign it yesterday. 

Tomorrow King Charles III will be proclaimed in the County Town of Maidstone, in Jubilee Square at 12:57pm. I will attend along with the Chair, Members and Officers of the Council and all are welcome to join this event.