Councillors on Thanet’s Joint Transportation Board say a flashing speed indicator sign should be installed in Dumpton Park Drive in response to a petition for road calming measures.
The petition, with almost 2,000 signatures, was submitted by Ramsgate resident Keena Entwistle after the death of her son Ethan in a collision on the road.
Ethan was just two days away from his 19th birthday when the car he was a passenger in with a friend and two associates was crashed into a tree on Dumpton Park Drive on October 1, 2023.
Sadly, despite the efforts of his friend Ben Brazil, who was also a passenger in the car, to carry out CPR until medics arrived, Ethan did not survive.
Keena launched the petition, detailing why measures are needed, in the hope that it will prevent the loss of someone else’s loved one.
The teaching assistant asked for measures including flashing signs with the speed limit.
Keena is now a member of the Dumpton Park Drive road safety group which has been campaigning for measures since the death of a woman cyclist in a collision at the junction with Montefiore Avenue in 2022.
The campaign has also been supported by Broadstairs and Ramsgate town councils, Deer Park (care centre), Holy Trinity school and Bradstow School.
Keena said: “We really need KCC to do something, especially as there have been more crashes along the road.
“Holy Trinity, Bradstow School and Deer Park have also asked KCC to put measures in place. Personally I think that flashing speed indicators are the way forward, as most people are visual learners.”
In a report to the committee Kent County Council recommended “KCC’s Road Safety and Active Travel Team continue to monitor and assess collisions in Dumpton Park Drive.”
But councillors on the committee said simply monitoring the situation was not good enough.
Dumpton ward councillor, and safety campaign member, Pat Makinson, said: “Residents are frightened to cross the road due to the speeds even with the island refuges of which there are not enough.
“Witnesses see cars driving on the wrong side of the road, the wrong side of the islands, swerving round the school crossing patrols and shouting abuse at them, all to arrive in Broadstairs two minutes earlier.”
She added: “It’s hopeless expecting police to frequently carry out speed checks despite their best intentions. Some physical measures are necessary.”
Cllr Makinson said safety at Dumpton Park Drive was top of the agenda on Ramsgate’s Highway Improvement Plan but was ‘difficult to justify if KCC says there’s no problem.”
Broadstairs councillor Kristian Bright and Ramsgate’s Cllr Anne-Marie Nixey also spoke to back Keena Entwistle’s petition for effective traffic calming measures on the road.
Cllr Joanne Bright questioned why there needed to be more fatalities before the county council would implement measures and also backed the idea of a flashing speed indicator sign.
Cllr John Davis said that in light of the data perhaps better policing and road safety education was the solution. This view was echoed by Cllr Trevor Shonk.
The report to councillors highlighted four collisions on the road recorded over the last three years up to March 31, 2024.
Two of these were listed as slight. Two were shown to involve fatalities, that of Ethan last October and also of cyclist Jacqueline McFarling in January 2022.
This month Broadstairs resident Carl Brownlie appeared at Canterbury Crown Court and was ordered to undertake 280 hours of unpaid work and banned from the road for 12 months. He admitted causing the death of Ms McFarling after not seeing her when he turned right at the T junction with Montefiore Avenue.
Charges have not yet been brought over the crash that claimed Ethan’s life.
Councillors have recommended KCC consider installing a flashing speed indicator and that Kent Police carry out education sessions in schools related to traffic and speed.
I appreciate the concern about the speed on Dumpton Park drive but be careful what you wish for. Traffic calming measures were put in place in St Peters Park Road Broadstairs which cause chaos. There hasnt been any serious accidents along this stretch ever. Kcc went ahead without any consultation constructed this nightmare on the grounds there may be an accident. When this was challenged KCC stated they can do what they like under Road Safety regulation despite having no evidence to rely on
How do traffic calming measures cause chaos?
Ah! I’ve just looked at a 2021 news item, with a photo.
I can well imagine that a motorist, doing 40 mph, whilst on his phone, would be slightly taken aback to briefly glance up and see a traffic island unexpectedly in front of him.
Obviously, braking sharply wouldn’t be an option. He’d have to swerve on to the pavement and mow down some pedestrians.
Quite right
The Council should do something about this.
Was the article you refer to not related to the works having been left partially completed and as such there was no signage or road markings to iindicate the calming measures were in place?
Just as the temporary lights etc on the junction of wilderness hill and northdown road were removed before the road markings have been changed to suit the new layout.
At this location it would appear that no one did a decent survey of how the junction was used , the upshot being that those that park on that corner and the yellow lines and across the tactile paving to use the pharmacy has resulted in the corner being much worse to use, especially if someone parks on the new “ buildout” in front of the pharmacy effectively blocking the view of traffic approaching from the pedestrian crossing direction for people coming out of wilderness hill..
Hopefully there are barriers and new road markings yet to be completed.
Has there been a report on the fatality that seems to have iinstigated these works? As the story told in the area is that the victim, had been hit by a vehicle overtaking a stationary bus, the pedestrian having stepped out into the road at the front of the bus. IF this was the case, was the driver charged with an offence? Or was it seen as an accident largely the result of a pedestrian choosing not to use the crossing nearby or waiting for bus to move off in order to be able to see the traffic before crossing the road?
The changes made so far and others still ongoing, will no doubt further reduce the speed of motorists that drive sensibly but do nothing to deter the idiots.
I requested that temporary road signs be returned to the Wilderness Hill/Northdown Road area under changes to the road layout because vehicles were hitting the kerbs of the new pedestrian areas, especially at night with the poor LED streetlighting. I believe they have put some bollards and signs up but not completed the road markings as yet. Vehicles are getting through the bollards to park on the new paved area in front of the old Woolworths building though as they are spaced too far apart.
Hard to believe KCC didn’t learn from the incidents in broadstairs when they removed the temporary signage etc before the works were fully completed and then did the same in Northdown Road. But given the appalling signage and visibility for the temporary lights for those approaching up Wilderness Hill if there was someone already stopped at the lights , perhaps its no surprise, i saw 5 vehicles just overtake the queued vehicles, oblivious to the lights. Mentioned it to one of the workers , whose verbatim reply was. “ don’t care, nothing to do with me”
Apparently there was an accoident near the lights ,in place whilst the pavememts are resurfaced, outside Faith in Strangers this week.
Build up of traffic buses often 2 to three trying to stop at bus stops outside school in road. Traffic blocks access to bairds hill by railway bridge, when a gap is left as per keep clear signs any traffic trying to exit junction has view blocked to left by traffic in queue. Try driving along it get an informed opinion what its like
Perhaps Andrew doesn’t drive. (Good for him, if that’s so.)
I have. Often. Mostly, it’s reasonably clear.
If it is a bit jammed up (and the traffic calming measures are not responsible for 2-3 buses stopping at a bus stop) is not a justification for drivers to drive at crazy speeds without due care and attention tion.
I agree, so lets have reality check. What traffic calming is going to work at 2 or 3 am.
Speed indicator signs, def not. A traffic calming like st peters park road, def not a good challenge to get through at speed. Traffic humps will effect every car on road even those at 20mph.
Education of all drivers to drive sensibly would be a start but if people want to speed they will regardless of consequences. Even in worse case what consequences are there look at current custody policy get 5 years out in 18 months or less
These measures do not cause chaos, they reduce speeds. What makes them dangerous is non-compliance with the give way rules by impatient drivers who repeatedly pull out too early in front of traffic coming from the opposite direction which is already proceeding along the restricted area between the two traffic controls.
I’m absolutely sick of drivers treating our roads like race tracks and then the rest of us suffering with these annoying measures. Why don’t the police get out and make these people know if they keep on speeding it won’t be long before they are caught. I’m sorry but how do you crash on dumpton park drive without driving like a lunatic.
“Why don’t the police get out and make these people know if they keep on speeding it won’t be long before they are caught.”
Because assault, rape/sexual assault, domestic violence are all more prevalent on the island and pertinent for law enforcement to deal with. That’s specialist traffic officer work, of which, Thanet doesn’t have a crew for anyways.
Well done those councillors who argued for practical and physical measures. This road is a classic case of “20s plenty” but in the absence of that the more traffic calming and warnings the better. Sorry Trevor Shonk but “education” is not the answer. It is a fairly small minority of idiots who put other folks lives and limbs at risk and they need to be strained!
The road is perfectly safe at 30, the issue is those driving in excess of that. As we see again and again there are those quite happy to exceed posted limits by huge margins ( it’ll be interesting to know how fast the car was going in Ethans collision given the length of the skid marks after the event).
There needs to be a concerted effort to get illegal cars and drivers off the road and a real traffic police presence to catch those who currently drive like loons with very little chance of being caught.
Totally agree but as i know, traffic policing was cut as it wasnt classed as a government priority
Then that decision needs revisiting. The cyyclist fatality was unlikely to be due to excess speed as a result of a driver emerging from a junction and until,there’s a final report on the incident in which Ethan died , any decision is hardly being made on much real evidence. Has there been a traffic speed survey on the road? ( or whatever its called when they have the tubes on the road recording traffic speeds).
I agree with you 100%. It’s a safe road at up to 30, you need to slow down slightly for that bend, but the rest is entirely suitable for a max 30……
In for the new sign, but think issuing a speed camera to residents as happens in other counties would be useful too.
Drivers turning right out of the eastern junction of Montfiore Avenue are put at risk by persistent parking of several tall vans in a short section of roadside on Dumpton Park Drive where there is a gap in the double yellow lines, outside the flats in Harebrook (on the right going in the Ramsgate direction). Drivers are forced to pull out almost to the middle of Dumpton Park Road in order to see past these vans, which puts them at risk from traffic coming in both directions. I am surprised there are not more accidents.
The same pulling out of Salisbury Avenue to turn right. Vans/cars consistently parked on the corner of Dumpton Park Drive outside the playing field. I avoid that junction as much as I can, and travel down Ramsgate Road to join Dumpton Park Drive further down.
“Drivers are forced to pull out almost to the middle of Dumpton Park Road in order to see past these vans, which puts them at risk from traffic coming in both directions.”
Drivers are forced to break the law themselves by overhanging junctions at partially blocking the carriageway from Ramsgate to Broadstairs you mean. I drive passed there everyday between 5/540. There’s always at least one donkey blocking the carriageway and forcing oncoming drivers into the middle.
Which I don’t get, given in my tiny little hatchback you can see perfectly down the road in both directions from pulling out of the Garden Centre road to go right back downtowards the surgery and petticoat lane if your front bumper is in line with the junction markings. Maybe its these bigger cars, given its usually some form of SUV/Estate that overhangs.
Surely speed bumps might be a better option than flashing lights all day/night long..?
It used to be that the emergency services had input into whether or not speed bumps were a good idea, Dumpton Park Drive is a major route between ramsgate and broadstairs, speed bumps would slow response times and damage emergency vehicles that didn’t go slow enough. I don’t know if that’s still part of the decision making process.
However as in the comment below , speed cameras might be an option, but you’d need several to cover the whole length of the road effectively.
Speed bumps, if they’re the right design, fit in between ambo/police/fire engine wheelbases though?
If it fits inbetween a police cars wheelbase , it’ll also do so for the majority of cars on the road and so be pretty pointless.
Speed cameras that work might be a deterrent especially if it involves points on the drivers licence
Blame the roads as much as they like, but at the end of the day the problem are those driving the vehicle and not the roads.
The driver that night is the only one to blame for the death, not the roads.
Early hours driving like an idiot and got caught out. Unfortunately someone died and he walked away!
The competence of many local drivers leaves much to be desired. Regular vehicle checks around the Isle would be very welcome.
More importantly why does this road continue to be used by KCC as a main route from Victoria Parade to Hereson Road at the Garden Centre.
The road is unclassified.
People’s sat navs direct them along here too.
The pollution has greatly increased over recent years and the bend in the road by the Glass Centre from Dumpton Park Drive into the top end of Bellevue Road is deadly.
There needs to be a coherent solution and regular police presence, not that their driving is immuned from making deadly mistakes.
“The pollution has greatly increased over recent years”
Can you share your measurements, please, Clare?
We need proper cyclist priority – complete with separate traffic lights and lanes with barriers from cars – just as there are in Holland, Belgium, etc. It’s the only way we’ll get (a few of) the fat and lazy Brits out of their cars.
Speed bumps. They seem to work in St Lukes Avenue, Ramsgate!
I love the sarcasm about St Lukes. There’s been NO crashes down there since they installed the speedbumps, no sir. No cars bouncing off multiple other cars. No cars crashing into the wall of St Lawrence school etc, no sir! hahahahah
True Anon, but how much worse would it have been if there were NO speed bumps? I use the road most days daytime, and its an obstacle course, and vehicles have to give way to each other, which slows them down! Most of the collisions you refer to were caused by drug/drunks nutters, trying to avoid road cameras so I understand!
Campaign for a speed camera and check out the flashing sign on High st. St.Lawrence virtually ineffective.