Road Safety
30 mph Limit Eastbridge Road
The Parish Council have been working with Kent County Council to improve safety on the roads around the village. Concerns have been raised by local residents about the speeds that motorists travel along Eastbridge Road. Kent County Council have provided some road safety materials for Eastbridge Road residents to use to promote the 30mph limit. You may see both posters and bin stickers on your travels along Eastbridge Road.
This is one of a number of initiatives the Parish Council and Kent County Council are working on to make the roads around Dymchurch safer.
Road User Tips for Travelling in 30mph
Speed significantly increases the chance of being injured in a collision. Research has shown that the risk of death for pedestrians struck by cars increases at higher impact speeds, although the exact risk levels varied between the studies.
Pedestrians
1. Look for safer places to cross the road – pedestrian crossings, zebra crossings, pedestrian islands, footbridges and toucan crossings are safer places to cross.
2. Children learn from their parents/carers and if you have children walking independently, make sure you have taught them the Road Safety Code:
• STOP before the kerb
• LOOK for cars and other traffic
• LISTEN for cars and other traffic
• THINK at all times
• HOLD HANDS Younger children should hold hands with their adult (if the adult is pushing a buggy, the child can hold on to the buggy).
3. Avoid distractions. Common distractions can include mobile phones, headphones, balls, food/drink and talking to friends.
Motorists
1. Leave plenty of time for your journeys: if you’re not in a hurry, you’re less likely to feel under pressure to rush. Give yourself time – there’s no need to speed.
2. Assume that streetlights mean you are driving in a 30mph area.
3. You must drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions: 30mph might still be too fast in some areas, especially near schools during pick-up and drop-up times. Be prepared for pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users crossing the road and at junctions.
4. It’s a fact that you lose half your speed in the last 5 metres of braking to a stop. So, if you are travelling at 30mph and a child steps into your path 23 metres away you should be able to stop with two metres to spare. However, if you are travelling at 35mph, and brake at exactly the same time as at 30mph, you will still be travelling in the order of 15mph when you collide with the child.
5. Reduce your speed, reduce your risk of a crash: this provides you more space and time to be able to react and avoid collisions.
6. Check your speedometer regularly, especially when leaving high speed roads.
7. Focus on the road: distracted drivers speed so you need to minimise any potential distractions and allow yourself enough time to get to your destination so you are not in a rush.
Cyclists
1. Be bright and be seen: wear something fluorescent or bright coloured in daylight and/or reflective at night. Consider using lights even during daylight hours.
2. Give good clear and timely signals when you change direction at junctions or move around obstructions, and look before you move.
3. Obey road signs, they are there for you as well as all other road users.
4. Always wear a cycle helmet. It’s the only thing that will protect your head.
Power Two-Wheelers
1. Riding in 30mph zones, especially for long distances, can be tricky if you are on a powerful bike. Try selecting a lower gear. It will help you maintain control and the engine will feel more comfortable at the lower speed.
2. Maintaining smooth control of a bike at a low speed is an art, practise it somewhere safe and get used to the feel of the bike at low speed.
2024 Traffic Survey
During the Summer the Parish Council sent out a road traffic survey to residents which could either be completed as a paper copy or on-line. We received over 300 responses which have been summarised in the report included below: