Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Development Plan Document

Disagree

C4S – 008 – The Lodge, Water Lane, Bearsted, I object to this site being included in the GT&TS Plan. I have serious concerns about the safety of pedestrians along this stretch of road. Vehicle and pedestrian access to this site would involve travel along Water Lane. Water Lane is predominantly a single-track road with no formal pedestrian pavements / footways. The 300 metre section of carriageway between the proposed site entrance and Roundwell / The Street has poor visibility for both motorists and pedestrians, is susceptible to flooding throughout the year and surface icing in the winter months. There are 2 specific areas where these issues are particularly dangerous: The stretch of Water Lane leading to / from under the railway bridge. This area often floods resulting in pedestrians having to walk in the middle of the lane to pass the area. Unfortunately, at this point, there is poor visibility for motorists travelling down Thurnham Lane and pedestrians are unable to hear warning of oncoming traffic if there is a train approaching or passing on the railway line above. The junction of Water Lane with Roundwell / The Street. This area often floods leaving standing water across the majority of the junction forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of the carriageway on a blind bend for motorists turning into Water Lane from Roundwell / The Street. As a local resident and dog walker I no longer use Water Lane as a pedestrian, having encountered too many ‘near misses’ with traffic. This decision was compounded by the tragic consequences of the fatal collision between a car and dog walkers on Thurnham lane, (alternative access route to Pilgrims Way / North Downs), from Bearsted village in 2024. Inclusion of this site in the Plan would significantly increase the risk to pedestrians on Water Lane and the additional traffic generated by the proposed site would also increase the risk to other road users; cyclists, horse riders, and dog walkers. For the above reason, I request that Maidstone Borough Council remove Site C4S 008 from the consultation. See attached screenshot of a photo of the Junction of Water Lane and The Street, taken this afternoon – 18 hours after yesterday’s rainfall, please. The picture shows the remnants of the flooding at the bottom Water Lane – last night and earlier today, the standing water covered the whole junction and over halfway across The Street. During the winter months the standing water and surface water further up the slope, at the bottom of Water Lane, often freeze and this stretch becomes a sheet of ice and is impassible on foot, and treacherous in a vehicle.