Changes will be made at eight locations along Northdown Road in Cliftonville to improve road safety, particularly for pedestrians.
During the past ten years, up until March 2021, there were 49 collisions reported to the police where a pedestrian was injured.
In 2017 a petition was launched asking Kent County Council to install a zebra crossing on the road.
Resident Terry McElligott was appealing for the authority to create the crossing between the Athelstan and Dalby Road junctions following a series of accidents.
A report to the Joint Transportation Board – made up of Kent, Thanet and town/parish councillors- says some improvements have already been made but the number of collisions is still high.
A recent study of the road and previous crashes along it identified the following issues:
- The footpath on the southern side of the road is in shade for much of the day,making any pedestrians waiting to cross less visible to drivers.
- The road is straight, which may encourage drivers to travel at a higher speed.
- Some pedestrian crossing points are in front of bus stops, so drivers passing a bus at the stop may not see a pedestrian stepping out until they are out in the road.
- There are many pedestrian crossing points (informal dropped kerbs and zebra crossings), often very close together.
- Two of the zebra crossings incorporate centre islands, and some crashes seemed to have occurred when a pedestrian has crossed to the centre island, and then been struck on the second part of the crossing. There may be uncertainty between pedestrians and drivers whether to treat such crossings as one or two separate movements.
Changes will be made on Clifton Road and St Paul’s Road with a reduction of ‘at any time’ waiting restrictions – double yellow lines. At Arthur Road the existing parking bays will be cut in size and moved near to the junction with the footway widened to allow buses to pull up close to and parallel to the kerb. This will also allow pedestrians crossing outside of the church to see vehicles approaching from their right.
On Wilderness Hill the existing parking bay will be extended and the ‘give way’ line moved forward to give better visibility for drivers turning out of the junction.
Also by Wilderness Hill the existing bay will be extended and a new footway build-out will be created on the southern side along with dropped kerbs for pedestrian crossing points on both sides. The kerbs at the bus stop will also be raised.
By Edgar Road the footway will be enlarged in front of St Paul’s Church and a pedestrian crossing point created set back into the side road. The existing splitter island will be removed and narrowed at its junction with Northdown Road. The footway will be widened on both sides of the zebra crossing. The existing centre islands will be removed from the zebra crossing as well as the existing parking bays on the north side to allow the full eight zig-zag marks for the zebra crossing to be placed.
In Northdown Road dropped kerbs will be replaced with raised bus stop kerbs and the existing pedestrian crossing point removed. The build-out on north side would be removed with full height kerbs reinstated and a smaller island installed with a ‘keep right’ bollard.
By Sweyn Road it is proposed to extend the wider part of the footway southwards to discourage drivers from stopping and blocking visibility for pedestrians.
By Godwin Road the dropped kerbs would be replaced with raised bus stop kerbs and the footway build-out would be reduced.
Again in Northdown Road a build-out footway would be removed, and parking bays joined with dropped kerbs being replaced by raised bus stop kerbs.
By Prices Avenue and Harold Road the existing pedestrian guard railing would be extended by two 2 metre lengths.
By Lyndhurst Avenue and Warwick Road the existing centre islands would be removed from the zebra crossing. The southern side footway would be further widened.
A report to the Joint Transportation Board, which will meet on Thursday (June 9) says the measure will improve road safety for drivers and pedestrians as well as creating better facilities for bus users and increasing parking spaces.
The scheme is being funded by KCC’s Crash Remedial Measures fund. During the works, alternative routes would be provided for pedestrians with barriers and ramps for those with visual and mobility impairments
A public consultation is currently being put together and residents and businesses will receive letters, public notices will be placed on site and posts will be put on internet and social media platforms. The results of the consultation will be used to help finalise the scheme design.
