Crash prompts residents’ campaign for traffic calming in Approach Road

: Sally Vaughan, Tim Surrey with son Noé Desreumaux-Surrey, Councillor Heather Keen, and Jonathan Bond. Photo by Kim Conway

A crash in Cliftonville where a car ended up on its side has prompted residents to revive a campaign for traffic calming measures.

People living in Approach Road say the crash on Sunday was the final straw and action needs to be taken before someone is seriously hurt.

Members of Park Approach Tenants & Residents Association (PATRA) say they will now be made efforts to get traffic calming or a 20mph limit introduced in the road following numerous incidents of speeding and dangerous driving.

Member Jon Edgley Bond, who lives in the road with wife Fliss and their two boys, said: “We moved here about two-and-half years ago and within weeks noticed that people drive down here really fast.

“I have spoken to lots of people, such as Matt Should from the Athelstan Road tenants group as they have successfully applied for a 20mph limit, and have been involved with the 20’s Plenty campaign.

“It went on the back burner a bit last year but this weekend there was such a spectacular crash on our doorsteps that people really want to do something about this. We are resurrecting the 20’s Plenty campaign and with the Athelstan Road success we know it could be possible to get the speed limit reduced through Kent County Council and funding they have received from the government.

“We will also look at traffic calming and speed cameras.”

The 43-year-old theatre company boss has managed to get ward councillor Heather Keen onboard and will be contacting county councillor Lesley Game.

He says the tenants’ association will also hope to tackle other issues, such as antisocial behaviour, in future months.

Cllr Keen said she will back any efforts made by the group, adding: “After the accident people were very concerned. I met with residents and they have been telling me about it. Even while I was there we had speeding cars, it really is a dangerous area. I will fully support the residents to get traffic calming measures.”

Cllr Keen said there are several options open to the group, from raising a petition and asking Cllr Game to take the issue to the county council.

20 Comments

  1. Hi Barry

    Then contact your buddies at kcc please… After all a good luck is a bit feeble.

    20 miles an hour speed limit is not going to stop people speeding.

    I live in Caroline Square it’s a no through road. People drive here, park here and dump rubbish fly tipping and nothing gets done. They speed down here at 30 mph.

    Speed cameras are needed. Not humps they damage suspension. Like the ones at wwx

    If you say more and more roads want speed restrictions Barry do something about it. Good luck is pathetic. Say that when someone gers killed will you Barry.

    • Barry has already given a lot of help and advice, he’s been instrumental in getting Athelstan RD to 20mph. It does take direct action from local community groups to affect change though.

  2. The people who are speeding in a 30 zone are still going to speed in a 20 zone, anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.

    Rather than punishing the vast majority of law abiding drivers by making journey times longer why not leave the roads at 30mph but install more speed cameras and actually enforce current limits. Nothing stops a speeding driver more than a speed camera. Hereson road Ramsgate and Dumpton Parkndrive Ramsgate also need speed cameras ASAP as drivers are using both roads as race tracks.

    • How much longer would journey times be if an area was a 20mph zone rather than a 30mph zone? The law-abiding majority would drive at 20 which is considerably safer for pedestrians than 30. “Punishing” drivers does not c ome into it. Safety is the major concern.

      • The journey time at 20mph from Margate to Ramsgate would be about 4mins longer than at 30mph, if both vehicles travelled at their relative speed all the way. In reality, with junctions, traffic lights and traffic jams, the difference in time stinks to a minute or two maximum. The vehicle travelling slower would also use less fuel, and in the event of a crash any injury would be less severe.

    • Both would be good! 30mph is too fast for our road, I’ve spoken to several driving instructors all of them train their students to drive at 20 or less on the street.

  3. Definitely requires something to be done in this area, but not just Approach Road, also the junction with Dane Road. People entering Approach Road at speed, at also people entering into Dane Road.

    Speed cam in Dane Road, and humps in Approach Road.

    • Totally agreed Phil! We’ll be looking at more than just Approach Road. Once Park Approach Tenants & Residents Association is fully running, we’ll be campaigning for issues that cover the streets nearby too.

  4. Thanet is full of young men who drive around dangerously. Weaned on Mariokart and stupid US movies about town racing they put peoples lives at risk every day.

    Does anyone remember the good old days when we had a Police Force on the streets to stop this?

    Now its Policing by intelligence from a camera and a computer. Meanwhile cars past there sell by date are putting lives in danger.

  5. Yeah Barry put action to where your mouth is please , Speed cameras needed on Newington Road Ramsgate.
    Cars do in excess of 50 mph if not more , i have had a few misses on the crossing they just going too fast to stop.
    Review the accidents on this road over the past 5 years, Cars overturned , walls knocked down , a neighbour had half his house knocked down by a car.
    Not forgetting the couple of walkers that got killed on the bridge.
    Still we got cameras at the viduct to cop the odd one that goes through a red light.

    • Paul, Athelstan road and roads around hospital will soon become 20 miles speed limits. Approach road is not in my area, its up to Leslie game to step up to the mark.

      • Any excuse just pass the butt onto someone else . As any party we put this /that in place by 2025 or we think about it.
        As for Athelstan road and other small roads its hard to get up to 20 .
        When more people are killed or damage done oh we should have done something about that.

        • Paul, i have no say in approach road as i am NOT their county councillor, l wish it came under my division. If their councillor Leslie game wants it to be a 20 mile speed area I would delighted but its her call not mine.

    • Yes Paul, Newington Road is a terrible area, especially the zebra crossing right on the bend, by the pub. Who ever came up with putting a crossing on a bend?

      Would have been better to have one outside the chemist, and one further up the road towards the bridge.

      I remember very well, the poor couple from Waitrose who were killed on the bridge. But wasn’t that a speeding young driver, possibly drunk?

  6. True that one who thought of putting a crossing there .

    Unsure about by the chemist there is one by the shops but by that time drivers have got their foot down and just going too fast to stop .
    There are three schools on Newington Road and a nursery .

    Yes maybe the driver was drunk I no idea , I just read it in the paper .

  7. We need speed cameras in Northdown Road of all places. Normally during business hours it’s not bad but as soon as it changes to evening time the street goes bonkers with boy racers hammering down the road dangerously. If anyone stepped out to cross they would be brown bread. Not only cars but vans and motorbikes too. A lot screech down into Arthur Rd and floor it down through Dalby Square where a childrens play park and green is situated. I have tried several times over the past decade or longer to get a 20 mph limit and speed reducing measures but always get the same letter back from KCC saying they will not be taking it up. Funds not available for schemes, more important issues need to take priority, etc, etc. Why do children and adults always have to be victims of dangerous fast driving before KCC will act? Not sure how Cllr Barry Lewis gets them to listen but there are many roads around Thanet that could do with safety measures putting in place.

    • Kent Resident, funds not available, more important issues need to take priority…..

      Like giving themselves a nice little pay rise.

      • Phil , Please don’t start me off .It was asked if any MP would give up a bit of their wages to help the NHS (I think it was over masks) NO WAY they don’t see why they should , let charitys do that.
        Have you watched the mini budget on u-tube? best comandy I have seen in ages, Most are playing with their mobiles but they do stop to say yah . They get paid £2.100 each a week for this , Boris looks pissed off maybe he wants to get back to the pub.
        The twat at the top (he on more money) says order order when things get a bit out of hand.
        Just put each side on a road , forget the right honerable gent with a poice officer in the middle , if you lot of c—ts don’t shut up I arrest you.
        No disrecpect to any party

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