Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum
Working to improve cycling conditions and encourage people to cycle for transport and as part of a healthy lifestyle
January 2022 Update
Highway Code Revisions
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
Highway Code Revisions
The Department for Transport consultation on the proposed changes concluded with proposed changes seeking to improve safety for more vulnerable users: pedestrians, particularly children, older adults and disabled people, horse riders…and cyclists.
Key changes in the new Highway Code courtesy of Cycling UK include:
- The introduction of the 'Hierarchy of Users' or ‘Hierarchy of Responsibility’, recognising that road users who pose greater risks to others ought to have a higher level of responsibility.
- Simplification of the rules relating to junctions where there aren’t any traffic signals, to make junctions safer and address ‘left-hook’ collision.
- New rules to tackle dangerous overtaking and ‘close passes’, with a guideline minimum safe passing distance of 1.5m.
- Clearer guidance on looking before opening your car door, including the ’Dutch Reach’ technique, to help prevent ‘car-dooring’
- These are just some of around 50 Highway Code changes.
It's all about safety
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
Highway Code Revisions
Safety is a constant thread throughout the work of the forum. The safety of cyclists is an obvious priority and we therefore contribute and support initiatives like the update to the highway code. This will place responsibility on those that can do most harm on the roads, to take most care.
We also see the perception of safety issues being one of the major impediments to more people using cycling as a means of transport. We therefore campaign for safety to be considered on all road projects and new developments, for example the gyratory in Maidstone. We also understand that pedestrians are sometimes startled / scared by cyclists in shared spaces. Our main policy response is to campaign for cycle routes segregated from pedestrian traffic because this gives the cyclist convenience and the pedestrian safety. However this does not detract from our responsibility to "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (not a quote from the Highway code, comes from the other bible).
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
The forum along with parish councils, MBC, KCC and other local groups strongly opposed approval of this development, but unfortunately, despite the clear common sense arguments against approval on heritage and highways grounds the government inspector gave full approval. Although the congestion damage cannot be mitigated by active travel, the forum was able to argue for the incorporation of a series of changes to the plan to improve walking and cycling. These included 3m cycle routes segregated from pedestrian routes, the incorporation of a ramp to The Beams allowing disabled, cycling and pushchair access, an improved crossing on Willington Street to Mote Park and money to be spent on the old Spot Lane part of the National Cycle Route 177.
Vision Zero - let's do it
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
Public Enquiry 421 homes at Church Road, Otham
This is a vision from KCC to have zero fatalities and serious injuries on Kent roads by 2050 so no problem with the forum 100% supporting this objective. However there is lots of detail around how this is done. We have written a comprehensive input for the consultation which can be seen on our Website and Facebook page. Everybody can have their input via the KCC website until 15th March.
The forum’s message - another nice plan, but we need the active travel infrastructure and road safety initiatives to be delivered in practice.
Please contribute to the consultation KCC Vision Zero.
Look at MCCF's Response
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
All new residential developments in Kent now have a design speed of 20mph but there is still discussion on whether these roads should also have an enforced speed limit of 20mph. Trials are underway in Faversham and Tonbridge. This is an active debate at the moment so well worth everybody writing to KCC and MBC councillors with views and supporting 20mph.
Active Travel Fund
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
20 mph Speed Limits - a major contribution to road safety
The new pop up cycle lanes implemented by KCC during the pandemic were welcomed in principle by a surveyed 80% of the population.
The feedback from these schemes will be incorporated into future plans.
The forum and Kent cycle groups are supporting KCC in delivering the next round of schemes and have already contributed to early consultation. Unfortunately there was no money allocated to schemes in Maidstone but the forum maintains a list of target cycle route improvements and works with KCC to introduce these into plans.
If you are interested in improving cycling provision in Maidstone please get involved.
Our Priorities
Our Priorities
Our Priorities
The Forum has two objectives:
1 Encourage infrastructure for cycling specifically but Active Travel in general
2 Encourage more people to use their bikes for transport
We see the first as an enabler for the second which we would like to spend more time on.