The A258 coming into Upper Walmer, needs safer driving to be enforced by the Kent Police, with greater use of prosecutions. We need traffic calming measures urgently as residents see more and more road traffic blighting their lives. Both the Dover Road and Station Road are affected. In April 2021 a couple saw their dog killed by a car as it walked to heel while they crossed the road.  Residents have suffered a number of near misses, including a teenager knocked over near the zebra crossing by Marke’s Wood.

This section of the A258 runs through Ripple Parish, Ringwould with Kingsdown Parish, and Walmer Parish as it enters upper Walmer from the south. All three level 1 community councils support of road safety campaigners and do what they can; but the responsibility for road safety lies with Kent Police and KCC / Kent Highways. The KCC director of Growth, Environment and Transport is Simon Jones, the KCC Director of Highways and Transportation. KCC Environment and Transport Cttee is chaired by Cllr Holden and the Vice-chairman is Cllr Collor of Dover. We need the support too of DDC whose cabinet member for transport is Cllr Bates.  

So we/ I  petition these people to make roads safer for Walmer’s residents, walkers and cyclists and visitors.

We residents are acutely aware of the large, expensive developments affecting Walmer roads, all of which were given planning permission by DDC planning committee, chaired by Cllr Back of Whitfield, although these developments were outside village / urban boundaries.

We estimate that the following 4 developments will put 548 x 2 = 1096 additional cars on  Walmer roads between 2022 and 2024, impeding access for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

Millers Retreat on Station Road – 14/00361 – some of 223 dwellings built and sold – many more to come.

East of Cross Road – 20/01125 100 dwellings – approved Feb 2021

West of Cross Road 21/01822 – 140 dwellings – awaiting decision

Land Opp 423-459 Dover Rd Walmer. ‘Wellington Paddocks’ 17/00487 – 85 dwellings  - approved

In addition, the 2 new development off St Richard’s Road (Jute fields and Water Tower close) will also add traffic, so will 2 new Sholden developments already approved, and too 2 new developments along Glen Rd if they remain on the DDC new Local Plan.  Tersons are selling property on the brow of the hill, on A258 Dover road too. We note that Walmer Council and other level 1 councils have objected strongly to the over-development causing traffic problems and they’ve urged DDC and KCC councils to act effectively on road safety issues for a considerable time. 

Our group held a public meeting in Oct 2021, with a hall full of very concerned citizens, and residents then demanded that full consultation and serious action be taken by KCC, Kent Police and DDC.

We / I petition KCC to put in new pelican crossings, road cushions, traffic calming, road surface measures, flashing speed limit signs and we /I  petition Kent Police to put in speed cameras and to issue more fines for dangerous speeding and dangerous parking.  We would like Station Rd, Menzies Road and surrounding roads to become a 20mph zone. We need greater safety for the community using the Upper Walmer shops, take-aways, pub and hairdressers. We / I petition DDC to reconsider their policy on new developments, and to put in new engineered cycle paths, and all-weather kerbed footpaths so residents have safe alternatives to using their cars. All of these measures together have a chance of improving road safety, each on their own would be inadequate. Speed monitoring in Sept 2021 showed high average speeds at the key junctions.   

Petition from Upper Walmer Road Safety Group, sec James Walmesley