SEVENOAKS 20MPH SIGNAGE SCHEME COMPLETED AT £40K BELOW BUDGET
Published: 11 November 2024
Councillors are pleased to report that the Sevenoaks town 20mph scheme has come in at more than £40,000 under budget with all signage and road markings completed, and the speed limit now in force.
The Town Council had allocated more than £153,000 (including £10,000 contingency) however the bill from the County Council has just been confirmed at £111,270.68.
The 20mph scheme was paid for using the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which is paid by developers who can add to the traffic on town roads, and it has to be used for capital projects.
The installation of 20mph signs were completed by the end of August in time for the start of the new school year, encouraging safer roads for school children.
Road markings including coloured tarmac and painted speed roundels on the highway are also now in place.
Cllr Tony Clayton, Deputy Sevenoaks Mayor, said: “Everyone at Sevenoaks Town Council is delighted that the 20mph signage project has come in £40,000 under the provision in our capital budget.
“We’ve been trying to reduce project costs by taking non-essential signs out of the plan, while ensuring it’s legally enforceable, but Kent Highways have only now been able to tell us what the final figure would be.
"We now know that, at £110,000, it will ‘pay back’ if it avoids just seven slight crash injuries on routes to all the seven extra schools covered by 20mph limits, or just one serious injury crash, over the next few years.”
The following schools and pre-schools are within the 20mph scheme:
· Lady Boswell’s Primary School
- Weald of Kent Grammar School and Tunbridge Wells Boys Grammar School
- St Thomas Primary School and Pre School
- Sevenoaks Primary School and Pre School and Acorns Nursery
- Walthamstow Hall Junior School and Secondary School
- Oakley Nursery and Pre School
- The Children’s Workshop
Within the 20mph limit there are also various vulnerable locations including the Adult Education Centre, multiple care homes, “Hole in the Wall” access to Knole Park and the Hospital.
And it also includes:
- The upper High Street close to Sevenoaks School
- St Johns Primary and Granville School which were in the initial 20mph zones
- The approaches to Knole Academy through Bradbourne Lakes Area
Cllr Clayton commented: “We believe it will help to reduce the tragic toll of 36 crash injuries a year in the town over the last ten years. The number of school students on Sevenoaks streets each day is 8,000 and rising, and there is an urgent need for more of them to be able to walk or cycle safely to school.”
Cllr Clayton added: “Even better news is that part of the CIL set aside for the 20mph project can now be used for at least one zebra crossing.
“We expect to start with the crossing which has strongest public support - on Dartford Road at the north side of The Vine. This is where many students cross on their way to local schools, as well as commuters on the way to Sevenoaks station.
“These investments in safer streets are designed to protect the increasing numbers of young people coming to school in Sevenoaks every day."
Next steps for the Dartford Road crossing is for KCC to produce detailed designs and full costings including a Road Safety Audit, investigation of underground services and finding solutions to any issues such as varying kerb heights and surfacing needed. After this STC and KCC will need to review findings.