Edenbridge Town Council Planning and Transportation Committee receives and considers road safety issues in Edenbridge and campaigns to Kent County Council (KCC) Highways for safety improvements.
The Town Councils also facilitates the Kent Police Speedwatch scheme co-ordinating a team of volunteers who attend approved sites around the town (there are currently 15). Reports are logged on the speedwatch site and data is analysed.
Through the CIL Board, funds have been provided for a portable speed indicator device (SID). Several sites were considered; Kent Highways approved 3 locations for the current scheme:
1. Mill Hill near Portland Vets – a single post could be used for both directions
2. Crouch House Road, sited away from the post box toward Orchard Drive – suitable for use in one direction
3. Swan Lane near Swan Ridge – single post can be used for both directions
REPORTING HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS – these can be done via Kent County Council website www.kent.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/report-a-problem . Residents are encouraged to report directly and KCC will acknowledge and provide updates.
HIGHWAYS IMPROVEMENT PLAN (HIP)
Kent County Council Highways asks parish and town councils to prioritise safety improvements that they may wish to see in their areas. The aim is to help KCC Highways manage requests for changes and improvements. KCC does not have a ‘pot’ of funding for parishes; however, this approach enables them to agree its priorities and ensure its investment has the most impact in making roads safer for all users.
The plans give parish and town councils the opportunity to decide which community priorities they want to take forward. Given the finite KCC Highways budget, not all priorities are likely to be funded. However, the Kent Highways team can discuss the problems and provide technical advice for the best way to deliver improvements and provide estimates for the costs. Using this information, parish and town councils can determine whether they can provide funding for these priorities and, working with KCC Highways, deliver them.
The HIP lists only a maximum of five, in priority order, safety concerns/issues that the Town Council has identified. Kent Highways will consider one scheme at a time, and the viability of suitable intervention. Any proposal will be presented to the Members of the Town Council, and to the Planning and Transportation Committee to consider. Funding contribution(s) may need to be considered by the Town Council to support the delivery of any scheme. A secondary list is created, but are usually for schemes which would require significant investment and likely funded by potential other development in the area.
Safety improvement examples include: new warning signs, request for lower speed limits, traffic calming measures.
It does not include any of the following: requests for parking restrictions or police enforcement requests. Any maintenance issues e.g. potholes, replacement signs, road marking refresh, street lighting issues, drainage issues, requests for resurfacing. Safety improvement schemes will only be considered which are on the local HIP.
The Planning and Transportation Committee considers and reviews the HIP.
