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By district: Ashford Canterbury Dover Shepway Swale Thanet

Rationale

Why do we want to carry out this work?

There have been a significant number of crashes involving cyclists on the A2990 between Church Street, Whitstable and the Eddington roundabouts, Herne Bay. The provision of an off-road cycle route will give cyclists and potential cyclists a safer and more attractive alternative to cycling in the road. It is also hoped that the new off-road cycle route will encourage more sustainable travel, linking residential estates, places of employment and Herne Bay High School.

From the consultative document circulated by Kent Highway Services, October 2009.

Maps

• The western end of the route is shown on this Spokes map and the eastern end on this one.
• OpenCycleMap
• Bing map and Google map
• Ordnance Survey map (offers scale of 1:50000) or alternatively StreetMap (offers scale of 1:25000).
• Shown as Route 28 on the Whitstable map and Herne Bay map in the Canterbury Walking and Cycling Strategy (2003).

History

• 2003: Identified as a potential route in the Canterbury Walking and Cycling Strategy document.
• Oct 2009: Proposals (page 1 and page 2) put out for consultation by Kent Highway Services.
• Nov 2009: A summary of the consultation responses (some 24 in all, of which 22 were in favour) were reported to Canterbury Joint Transportation Board who subsequently resolved to recommend (see minute JTB124) the proposals to KHS for detailed design and construction.
• Jun 2010: Following a major reduction in funding, Kent Highway Services announced a list of local transport proposals that will now not be funded in the current year. This list included the present proposal (ie, the Old Thanet Way cycleway), previously costed at £158,750. It was noted, however, that each KCC council member had at his/her disposal some £25k for spending on roads in their area.

Funding, sponsors and supporters

The cost of the project is estimated as £160k; when funding allows, it will be undertaken by Kent Highway Services.

What the CCC Walking and Cycling Strategy document (2003) said

Whitstable to Herne Bay - Plan Reference No 28

A2990: Old Thanet Way

The section from Borstal Hill roundabout to the footbridge at Foxgrove Road has an existing off-road shared footway/cycleway on the northern side. This footway was recently reconstructed as part of the Thanet Way improvements. There is a need to improve cycle signing and markings on this completed section.

From Foxgrove Road, the existing off-road path would need to be reconstructed in order to continue on the north side to Chestfield roundabout. A route across the Thanet Way using the existing wide central reserve would provide access onto the service road at Clover Rise. The service road can be used to gain access to the industrial and retail premises on the John Wilson Business Park.

Consideration should be given to closing the service road at the Clover Rise end.This would prevent vehicles using the road as a short cut and improve conditions for cycling.

From Chestfield roundabout to Greenhill roundabout there is a Kent Highways bid for on-road cycle lanes. However, the long term objective should be to upgrade the off-road footway on the northern side to provide a continuous off-road cycle path.

The section from Greenhill to Eddington roundabout is existing off-road shared pedestrian/ cycle path on the northern side.

From section 8.5.5 of the Canterbury Walking and Cycling Strategy (2003)

Present state of the route

There is, along most of the northern side of the A2990, a broad verge and a footway (photo). The proposal is to upgrade this footway (widening it where necessary) so as to become a shared footway/cycleway.

Next move

Funding of some £160k has to be found before construction (previously scheduled for 2010-11) can start.