Congestion & Traffic

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"In contrast to Whitstable, Herne Bay does not suffer from high levels of congestion. Here the challenge is to revitalise the town centre and reduce the need for residents to leave the town for services, leisure or retail opportunities by making the centre a pleasant and attractive environment for shoppers and visitors." [Draft Local Plan 5.8]

This fails to take into account the Council's plan to add thousands of homes around Herne Bay. If we did all came to shop in the town centre instead of going to Canterbury and elsewhere, congestion would be massive and there would be a gross under-provision of parking.

Herne relief road will be through Strode Farm and an improved Bullockstone Road. [Draft Local Plan 5.52]

We do not believe that Bullockstone Road can cope with this as well as the addition of 190 new homes.

"New development sites allocated in Herne Bay, Sturry, Broad Oak and Hersden will be required to fund a Sturry by-pass that avoids the level crossing by providing a new road bridge including a bus lane over the railway line. New development sites allocated in Herne Bay, Sturry, Broad Oak and Hersden will be required to fund a Sturry by-pass that avoids the level crossing by providing a new road bridge including a bus lane over the railway line." [Draft Local Plan 5.53]

So, we need housing here in Herne Bay to fund the Sturry crossing. There is no mention of the need to deal with our existing transport problems. There are no plans for improved rail for Herne Bay; no plans for a better bus service; and no mention of a change in parking policy to encourage people to shop in Herne Bay.

Barriers to progress

Years of waiting, thousands of pounds, and one snafu after another.

Following relentless pressure from Andy Lawrence, our councillors raided the Herne Bay Opportunity Fund for £3,000 to pay for the barrier across Mortimer Street (instead of getting KCC Highways to pay for it), and CCC put the job out to tender.

They awarded the job to a fencing company (!), who turned out not to have the right paperwork to allow them to work on Highways projects. Oops. Further delay while they find another contractor.

The next contractor installs the two gates that swing closed to form the barrier. A Council official comes along with the padlock that will lock the gates shut. Oops. It doesn't fit. More delays while they search for a padlock that's the right size. Ta-dah! A padlock is found that will fit the gates... everything is ready.

Self-promotion

Oops! There's still something missing, a magical ingredient without which the expensive new barrier cannot possibly be used - a photo opportunity for local councillors. There is an election coming, after all.

Our lovely new barrier will be unveiled today (23rd March), by councillors Andrew Cook, Joe Howes, Jean Law, and Peter Vickery-Jones, with the paparazzi in attendance.

Happy Easter, Mr Lawrence

​It's been a long time coming, but local hero Andy Lawrence has triumphed.

Regular readers will remember that Mr Lawrence risked life and limb to highlight the need for a barrier across Mortimer Street to make it safe for shoppers.​ That was back in September 2012.

Six months later, it looks like our beloved Council has finally got its act together, and we'll be getting the barrier.​ In a sensible world, of course, it would be open in the early morning - for deliveries to the shops - and shut the rest of the time.

We'll have to wait and see how sensible our little bit of the world (well, our Council) is in practice.​

Andy Lawrence stops the traffic in Mortimer Street

Local hero Andy Lawrence has been putting himself at risk, trying to keep Mortimer Street safe from idiot motorists. Drivers who are too stupid to read the traffic signs, or too selfish to take any notice, are driving along the street when it should be treated as a pedestrianised zone.

There's a simple and cheap solution (a lockable barrier across the road) but our Council has been dragging its heels, so Andy has taken to enforcing the traffic regulations himself. One local councillor who accepts there's a problem - Cllr Andrew Cook - wants to make sure the majority of traders want the barrier.

Cllr Cook sits on the Council's ruling Executive and holds the portfolio for Community Safety, and for Health, amongst others. Community Safety, and Health, is being endangered because the traffic regulations are not being enforced. (Where are the police and the newly empowered traffic wardens when you need them?)

The law isn't being enforced - presumably the powers that be would plead budget cuts. I had thought the Conservatives were the "Law and Order" party. There's no need to carry out a survey to find out whether the law should be enforced - just make it impossible to break that particular law. Install the barrier. Now.

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Pedestrians are being put at risk by drivers ignoring traffic restrictions in the town centre, traders claim. And they have accused council bosses of stalling over a cheap solution that would make the town centre safer.

Officials are considering a plan to install a lockable barrier at the bottom of Mortimer Street, costing £1,500. It was suggested at the start of the summer, but no progress has been made. Meanwhile, a shopkeeper who was manning temporary signs reminding people of the closures says he is not prepared to continue because of the abuse from motorists. Andrew Lawrence, 43. who runs the Speciality Food Store in Mortimer Street, said:

"I did it for four weeks. but no longer for my own sanity. I’m not insured and I don't work for the council. So if there was an accident or I dropped the sign on someone, who would be responsible? People get very emotional when told they can't do something, and I've been told they are coming through whether I like it or not, because they have always parked there or driven up the road."

The dad-of-five, who has run the shop for four years, met councillors and other traders to discuss the problem and councillor Peter Lee came up with a design for a lockable barrier that could be lifted and lowered. He said:

"Four shops would hold the key it would be locked upright at certain times and lowered to provide a physical barrier. Deliveries could still get through, and it could easily be opened in an emergency. The best bit is that it would only cost £1,500 - a tiny amount for a council that has £1 million of taxpayers' money sitting in the bank. But it seems they don't care about the people who are in danger from the cars whizzing up here at speed - only about keeping their cash."

Town centre manager Chris West was due to present a report on the issue to Herne Bay councillors at a meeting on Tuesday night, and said he planned to consult businesses before proposing a more permanent solution. Councillor Andrew Cook said it was important to get all traders’ views before proceeding. He said:

"I don't think there's a single councillor who would be against this, but we need to make sure it is what the majority of businesses want. I stood out there with Andrew for ten minutes and saw six cars go up there, and none had a legal reason to do so. But everything has to go through the correct procedures and the bureaucracy that goes with that."

Cllr Cook suggested an interim solution may be possible if someone else could be found to take over responsibility for the sign.

HB Times 13th Sep 2012

Road casualties

Britain has one of the best records in the world for road casualties. However, hundreds still die on the roads every year. In 2010, the police recorded 1,850 deaths, 22,660 people seriously injured and 184,138 who received light injuries.

Using official data recorded by police in Great Britain between 1999 and 2010, the BBC has plotted every road collision in which someone died. In all, 36,371 fatalities are marked on this interactive map.

As with any large collection of data, there will be errors that are reflected in this map. These arise as all details of these incidents are generated by the police who fill out a paper form that is then transcribed into a computer database.

Click the picture to find out more...

Yellow lines, etc.

Canterbury City Council is consulting on the latest requests for new yellow lines, parking bays, residents' parking and so on. Any objections to any of the items will be reported back to councillors in June and July. Items for which they do not receive objections will be implemented after the consultation period.

If you wish to object to any of the proposals you should write, stating the reasons for your objection, to the Transportation Manager, Canterbury City Council, Military Road, Canterbury, CT1 1YW. Alternatively you may email your response.

Your submission must be received by 9am on Thursday 28^th April 2011.

Click the picture below for more details.

"I'd crush boy racers' cars with drivers still inside"

One-way dangers confirmed

HB Times 30th Sep 2010

East Street danger

HB Times 30th Sep 2010

Beach Biker

HB Times 16th Sep 2010

One-way dangers

HB Times 16th Sep 2010

"Hell on roads" with new Bay Test Centre

A new super driving test centre bringing more than three times as many learner cars to the streets of Herne Bay opens on Monday. The multi-purpose centre in Broomfield is ready for action after the old venue in Sea Street closed its doors last Thursday. There are currently three tests per hour in the town but instructors say this will rise to 10 when the new centre opens.

The Broadstairs test centre also closed last week so novice drivers from Margate, Ramsgate, Birchington, Sandwich and Sheppey will all have to travel to Herne Bay to bag their licence – resulting in more than 300 extra tests a week. Driving Instructor Diana Dooner, of Diana's Driving School, will be attending an open day at the new centre today but says others may boycott it. She said:

"I can see a lot of instructors not turning up because they're not happy with the new centre. We've been kept completely in the dark by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), who appear to want to keep the whole thing low-profile. I only found out about the opening date after reading a notice on the wall at the Broadstairs centre. It seems they've chosen to open in the winter because it's the quiet season, but come the summer the roads will be hell."

As well as driving tests, the new centre off the Thanet Way will cater for learner motorcyclists after the closure of facilities in Broadstairs. Diana says the opening could lead to a backlash against learner drivers and instructors, and fears the problem will only get worse.

"We're already being targeted by locals as a menace on the roads despite the fact we live here and pay our taxes like everyone else. There are literally hundreds of illegal cars on the streets of Herne Bay and the owners are the menaces who should be targeted. We already get grief when there are three tests an hour so imagine the hostility when this increases to 10. And I'm pretty sure the DSA will be looking to close Canterbury's test centre in the near future because it falls within the 20-mile travelling distance criteria. This will mean even more tests, more lessons and more cars clogging up the roads."

Driving Standards Agency spokesman Chris Lee said it had no intention of closing the Canterbury centre:

"The multi-purpose driving test centre in Herne Bay will offer new and improved facilities to learner riders and drivers by offering a modern, purpose-built and energy efficient building which is fully Disability Discrimination Act compliant. It also has off-road parking and an enclosed hard surface area to conduct new test manoeuvres for riders. Motorcycle testing will change substantially when a new test is implemented from March 30. A European Community Directive introduced major changes in the way we test learner motorcyclists. These changes include new manoeuvres which must be undertaken at speeds of 31mph. For road safety reasons these manoeuvres can not be carried out on public roads. Public consultation recommended, and it was agreed in 2002, that the DSA would find a network of suitable sites to conduct the off-road elements at new multi-purpose test centres. There are no plans to close the Canterbury test centre."

DSA Chief Executive Rosemary Thew said:

"The new motorbike test will contribute to road safety and the multi-purpose test centre in Herne Bay fits into our overall vision of improving facilities for riders and drivers across Great Britain."

thisiskent 21st Jan 2009