Thanet councillors have approved ‘in principle’ plans to install a zebra crossing on Margate Road in Ramsgate but say alterations need to be made.
Kent County Council proposes to install the crossing close to the Whitehall Road/Newlands Lane junctions “to provide a safer crossing point in this part of Margate Road for pedestrians, including students travelling to and from Royal Harbour Academy (lower site) and children with parents travelling to Foreland Fields Primary School.”
The plan comes after a petition was raised by Ramsgate mum Gemma Bellingham after her son, then 11, was seriously injured after being hit by a car on his way home from school in January 2022.
Royal Harbour Academy student Lincoln was hit by a vehicle in Margate Road. He was treated at the scene and taken to QEQM Hospital before being airlifted to Kings College Hospital suffering with a fractured skull and hematoma, multiple cuts on his face and legs and bruising to his ribs.
Following this, Gemma launched the petition for a crossing at the viaduct end of the road in a bid to make sure no-one else’s child was hurt or worse as they attempted to cross.
Councillors at a Joint Transportation Meeting on Thursday (September 12) were agreed that the crossing is needed but said it needs to be moved away from the Whitehall Road junction, further towards the viaduct.
Cllr John Davis said: “There’s no doubt there needs to be assistance for crossing the road because it’s a death trap.
“(But) I do not believe the crossing is in a sensible position just at the junction of Whitehall Road.”
Councillors voiced concerns that the location would cause issues as cars “shoot out” from the busy junction and that removing the refuge island from that junction was the wrong decision.
Cllr Anne-Marie Nixey said Ramsgate Town Council had backed plans for a crossing but had also come to the conclusion that it needed moving away from the junction.
Committee chairman Cllr Ros Binks highlighted that all agreed the measures were “necessary” but it needed to “go back to the drawing board in regards to the crossing and refuge island”
The committee concluded that they: “recommend these works in principle, however, we have concerns with regard to the position of the crossing, which we feel will lead to further risk to safety and we have concerns with regard to the removal of the safety island in Whitehall Road which will also be a potential case of safety problems.”
The scheme, which will cost approximately £65,000, currently proposes:
- Removing the southern pedestrian island (closest to the viaduct) and replace it with a new zebra crossing. The zebra crossing would include zig-zag lines, striped markings, and flashing orange ‘belisha’ beacon lanterns.
- Widening the footway either side of Newlands Road to reduce the distance pedestrians need to cross. Widening the footway on the opposite side of the road was considered but as it would affect driveway access, widening by Newlands Road was the preferred option.
- Installing bollards on the widened footways to prevent cars parking where they might block sightlines for the zebra crossing and therefore compromising road safety.
- Installing high friction surfacing on the approaches to the zebra crossing.
- Removing the pedestrian island in Whitehall Road to enable large vehicles to turn into and out of the road and install a new dropped kerb.
- The existing pedestrian refuge located outside no.116 would remain, and the dropped kerbs and tactile paving would be improved at all crossing points.
The recommendation from councillors on the Joint Transportation Board will now be sent to Kent County Council.
