It comes after Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council raised concerns about speeding through the village for many years through its Highway Improvement Plan. This is a document parish and town councils can use to identify road safety improvements they would like to prioritise in their local area and bring forward with KCC.
To slow down traffic, KCC is proposing to install a ‘priority build-out’ in The Street, near the junction with Padwell Lane.
A build-out is a traffic island or an extension of a pavement which narrows the road. It means drivers travelling downhill towards the village, would be required to give way to vehicles leaving the village. The aim is to slow down vehicles as they enter the village and reduce speeds through it.
This would be similar to the existing traffic calming measure at the eastern end of the village, near the cricket ground. Signs will indicate which direction has priority and which must give way to oncoming vehicles.
The proposed build-out will be similar to one already by the cricket ground.
The proposed measures aim to improve safety for all road users, including people walking and cycling, and improve the overall environment for residents.
The proposed scheme would include:
- Priority build-out island: A build-out island with a 0.5 metre drainage channel. This would narrow the carriageway, encouraging drivers to slow down and give way to oncoming vehicles.
- Bollards with reflective bands: Positioned alongside the build-out to improve visibility and guide traffic.
- ‘Give Way’, traffic calming and priority signs: New illuminated signs mounted on new posts and street lighting columns to show which direction of traffic has priority.
- Upgraded street lighting: Two new street lighting columns and a replacement light fitting on an existing column.
- Resurfacing and road markings: The carriageway would be resurfaced, with existing centre lines refreshed or removed as appropriate on both sides of the build-out. New centre lines, give way markings and ‘SLOW’ markings would also be added.
“No decisions have been made yet, but we do want to hear from the people who live, work and travel through the area to find out what they think.”
Peter Osborne, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: "We've been hearing concerns about speeding in Great Chart for a number of years, and these proposals are designed to help slow vehicles down as they enter the village. No decisions have been made yet, but we do want to hear from the people who live, work and travel through the area to find out what they think. I'd encourage anyone with an interest to take a look and share their views as part of the consultation."
A speed limit reduction to 20mph in the village has been consulted on before. However, we are not currently proposing this because traffic speeds are too high to meet the requirements.
If the build-out is installed, we can review vehicle speeds again to see if this changes. If they do, we may consider consulting on a 20mph speed limit in the future.
We would also like to hear people's views on this possible future option. This does not mean the build-out will go ahead, or that a 20mph speed limit will be introduced. Any future proposal would be carefully assessed and consulted on before a decision is made.
To make room for the proposed changes, we would need to remove around 10 on-street parking spaces.
If approved, construction is expected to take place in the 2027/2028. The works would take around one to two weeks to complete.
The proposed scheme would cost around £25,000 and would be funded by KCC’s Local Transport Plan (LTP) Fund. This funding is provided by the Department for Transport to Local Highway Authorities such as KCC to improve roads and transport.
Anyone who uses The Street and may be affected by the changes is now invited to have their say, The consultation will run from the 12 November to the 21 December 2026.
You can take part by completing the online questionnaire on the consultation webpage.
Drop-in events
We have arranged two in-person events with Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council where you can come and talk to us and ask any questions. These will take place at Great Chart Village Hall, TN23 3AX on the following dates:
- Monday 23 November 2026 - 2.30pm – 4.30pm
- Wednesday 2 December 2026 - 6.00pm – 8.00pm
If you have any questions or require a paper copy of the consultation questionnaire, please email: east.highwayimprovements@kent.gov.uk or call: 03000 41 81 81. When contacting us, please quote the reference ‘The Street, Great Chart’.
