Two more parts of Tunbridge Wells could soon be joining St John’s in seeing the speed limit on a significant number of their roads reduced to 20mph.
Proposals put forward by Kent County Council (KCC) will see a total of 23 roads in St James’s and Sherwood converted to the lower limit.
The plans, which have the backing of road safety group 20’s Plenty for Tunbridge Wells, are being put forward in order to complement the develop-ment of a new cycle route which stretches between the two areas via Grosvenor and Hilbert Park.
Documents outlining the reasoning behind the project state that due to the ‘on-carriageway’ nature of much of the new route, the enforcement of 20mph limits will help ‘avoid the danger to persons or other traffic using the road’.
If given the go ahead, it will be the second largest expansion of the 20mph zone in Tunbridge Wells since 50 roads, home to 8,000 residents, in the St John’s ward were converted to 20mph at the end of 2016.
The scheme cost £40,000 to implement, the majority of which came from the members’ grant fund of KCC councillor Peter Oakford.
No cost for the latest expansion has yet been identified.
Spokesman for 20’s Plenty for Tunbridge Wells, Adrian Berendt, said the group ‘welcomes’ the proposal to implement 20mph on 23 more roads, adding:
‘It will make these streets more welcoming for pedestrians and cyclists and towards the long term aim of making 20mph the normal speed limit for residential streets.
‘We look forward to the day when all residential streets in Tunbridge Wells have 20mph speed limits and we urge all local residents to write to Stuart Taylor at KCC Highways or email traffic.schemes@kent.gov.uk to express their support for the proposal.’
WHICH ROADS WILL BE CONVERTED?
1. Belgrave Road
2. Tunnel Road
3. Goods Station Road
4. Hill Street
5. Mercer Street
6. Jackwood Way
7. Stanley Road
8. Norman Road
9. Commerical Road
10. Beech Street
11. Kirkdale Road
12. Brook Road
13. Brooklands
14. Blake Way
15. Rymers Close
16. Hillcrest Drive
17. Oak Road
18. Trebilco Close
19. Clifton Road
20. Laurel Road
21. Lauren Way
22. Rankine Road
