Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
9 December 2008
09:5010630Ian Taylor is indeed a local and a friend of mine who I have known for over 30 years, he is a local spokeman for a car pressure group.
He usually speaks a great deal of sense on the issue but I have to agree with Ian (Lilford) about the problems with Barton Road and Frith Road with all the schools, but I do not think imposing a 20mph limit is the best way to solve the problem. People ignore the 30mph limit on that road so will certainly ignore a 20mph limit. There is a need for proper traffic calming measures, road narrowing and so on (not speed bumps!). Perhaps a narrowing of the road through increased parking by way of a herringbone pattern in the road might be the way, alongside some 'intrusions' into the road to enforce lower speeds when there is little parking. I am sure the traffic engineers can come up with a scheme.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
9 December 2008
14:0310647I am waiting for Roger Walton from DDC to call me but he is at meetings today,also spoke to Cllr Gordon Cowan and he is going to get this put on the Joint Transport agenda.Traffic calming is a problem especially on Barton Avenue/Frith Road because it is a main artery into the Town.I live further along the road and we have traffic calming and all that leads to all sorts of problems because cars race each other to the area where the road is thinned.Result 3 accidents in 2 years.
This area has 6 roads leading into the area and with the highest concentration of Schools anywhere in the Dover area,with Barton,Charlton,DGSG and St Edmunds.In a recent survey at the Youth Council one of the questions produced an answer that children are frightened by the speed of traffic along Barton Road,these children are 11 and younger,why do we have to rely on them to tell us it is a problem.
As I said a few weeks ago I wrote the letter about 20mph limits outside all Schools and I said about in one part of Tower Hamlets we have a 20mph outside Priory Fields Astor and DBGS,in the other area in the ward we have these 4 Schools,yes accidents will happen even in the 20mph areas,mainly because people ignore the limits.
This area needs 20mph from Cherry Tree Ave with flashing lights ,signs, and speed cameras.How much time will be lost slowing down from 30 to 20 less than a minute,how much could be saved by doing it ..........Lives....
Yes I don't drive I ride a bike everyday and sometimes 2 or 3 times along this road,I am not anti car as Ian Taylor would have you believe but I am pro life
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
9 December 2008
14:2010648Roger Walton DDC has returned my call,and what I heard about a camera on Frith Road was sort of correct but it was a Police camera that is checking reg plates and was up there earlier on in the year.So there is no plans at the moment for any speed cameras.
So where do we go from here? Well Gordon Cowan will get it on JTC but they only meet about 3 times a year and they met last week,but he will get it put on the agenda.The problem is there is talk about a new joint Grammar School in Whitfield which KCC will use not to do anything.So a petition may be the first step and we need to ask permission from the Heads at each of the 4 Schools for permission and I will try another letter to the press,might need your help Kathy as I have put one in this week,then we start a campaign.Well what do you think.Is a live or lives of people worth saving for the sake of a few seconds going 20mph.I know what I think!
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
9 December 2008
15:0910649JHG, what you describe can be an effect of traffic calming but it really does depend on how you do it. Remember, as a one way street there would be no issues of cars coming from the other direction. You are right about the main artery and that is one reason why a 20mph limit is problematical.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
9 December 2008
18:1010655Quick bit of defence here, Ian Taylor is not a 'pillock' and I have often agreed with him on many points other than the roads. I have always found him to be good company and he is passionate about the things he believes in. However, he does have this blind spot about driving that I have, as he well knows, always disagreed with. Safety first and then drivers rights, not the other way round and statistics show that you can never asume that everyone wants to be a careful driver.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
10 December 2008
12:2410726I hear that the grandmother of the student is making good progress and will be home later this week.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
10 December 2008
12:2910727Good news Ian at least she'll be home for Christmas.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
10 December 2008
19:5610755Alison the Community Warden pointed out there are no crash barriers outside the School like there are at Astor,perhaps this would protect the children although in this incident it wouldn't have helped as it was the otherside of the road unless they were both sides of the road.
As everyone else has said it is good news that the lady concerned is naking good progress and will be home soon.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
10 December 2008
21:1010771Fair point there John. pedestrians are not allowed on the road so why should cars be allowed on the pavement.
Anything is better than nothing.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
11 December 2008
01:0010787It was explained to me once that crash barriers are only put up to protect other vehicles, they are not intended for pedestrians.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Alec Sheldon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 18 Aug 2008
- Posts: 1,037
11 December 2008
01:4210791Received an e-mail from my Local Neighbour Watch leader this morning which he received from Kent Police saying.
Arrest summary,
Drink Driving.
A 57 year old Whitfield man was arrested near DGGS on Monday morning. It is alleged he shunted in to the back of another car which then hit a 12 year old girl and her grandmother. Both were taken to William Harvey hospital, the girl was discharged later but the grandmother remains with a spinal injury. He has been released on bail whilst officers make further enquiries.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
15 December 2008
21:3311010Any new views from anyone John?
That seems a very weird statement from your source Chris.
I thought that crash barriers were meant to stop vehicles crashing into things and slow the impact down or to keep vehicles apart, from that post it sounds like we have cars on the road and the pavement.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
15 December 2008
21:5411016Ian, it was in response to a request for crash barriers to protect pedestrians along Archcliffe Road when we were told that they could not be put in place to protect pedestrians as their purpose is to prevent vehicles leaving the road and injuring the drivers. You are quite right it is wierd.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
17 December 2008
16:3611068I said that the Joint Transport Board was a couple of weeks ago,in fact it was last week good job I am not on it,well on page 3 of the Mercury today Cllr Gordon Cowan brought up the accident and said we need 20 mph on Barton Road/Frith Road.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
17 December 2008
18:0411074The problem here is not really the traffic calming measures, or even the speed limits, but rather the drivers that ignore them all and feel that because a car has a top speed they have to use it. Watching cars turning into Priory Street on a Sunday shows how much people like to keep their foot down even turning into a blind corner. The only way to reach them is for the police to clamp down on them, instead of charging them with speeding charge them with reckless driving and endangerment, and do it often enough to make a difference.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
7 January 2009
23:1212316Any news yet John?
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
8 January 2009
20:4712381It is on going Ian,Cllr Gordon Cowan will bring it up at the Dover Joint Transportation Board meeting on 16th Feb as it is our policy to push for 20mph outside of every School in Dover Area.But he has written to all Headteachers asking for thier views,so if they agree then it will put more lead in the pencil as it were.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
8 January 2009
21:0012384Thanks very much for your input John.
POWER TO THE FORUM EH.
Ian...
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 672- Registered: 3 Jun 2008
- Posts: 2,119
After todays events on Barton - Frith road I thought I would bring this up again. Nearly 2yrs have passed since posting 1 and what action have we had?
ZILCH,NIL,NOWT,ZERO.
grass grows by the inches but dies by the feet.
Guest 693- Registered: 12 Nov 2009
- Posts: 1,266
Very timely, Ian. My understanding of 20mph zones is that the limit applies to estate-type roads within a confined geographical area and thus a road such as Barton Road or Frith Road would not be eligible, however attractive that might seem at the moment. The speed limit on Barton Road is only 30mph anyway, so for any driver to lose control, mount the kerb and seriously hurt pedestrians would indicate that in this instance the speed limit wasn't being observed, anyway.
Let us hope that the injured aren't too badly hurt.
True friends stab you in the front.