Sittingbourne Residents campaign for a footpath for children's safety

KentOnline / KMTV

Highsted Road is a popular route for schoolchildren, and according to resident Dan Thomas, it has been the site of several near misses each day.  Meghan Shaw went down to find out more.

Transcript

00:00It's a perilous walk to Period 1 for schoolchildren in Sittingbourne, whose twice daily commute

00:06along Highstead Road has been described as risky and dangerous.

00:12The stretch of road between Farm Crescent and Swan Street Avenue is without a footpath,

00:17despite years of campaigning and earmarked funding.

00:20So children are forced to walk on the road as cars have to swerve to go past.

00:26Father of two Dan Thomas is the latest resident alongside his father-in-law Martin Pankhurst

00:31to launch a petition urging Kent County Council to hurry along with building a pavement.

00:38And the pressure is on, as planning permission for a new housing estate round the corner has

00:42been granted.

00:43Yeah absolutely, my children walk along here to school every day, friends' children walk

00:47along here and they've all told me they're near misses that they've witnessed where people

00:51have nearly been hit by cars.

00:53I've walked along here, I've driven along here many times, I've seen it myself, lots

00:57of people.

00:58It's not a very wide road, the children have to walk in the road so there's every chance

01:02that someone's going to get hit at some stage.

01:04The 150 metres of road without a footpath, although frequented by all residents, is in the

01:11vicinity of three schools.

01:13One of which being where Dan's children, Harry and Matilda, attend.

01:17But this isn't just a recent issue, campaigners have been urging councillors and stakeholders

01:22for the past two decades to build a pavement.

01:25I got involved in this about four years ago now when the Highstead school was having an

01:32extension and we were asking if we could have the footpath extended along Highstead road so

01:40that the school children could walk safely while they were going to and from school.

01:47Nothing has happened since then.

01:48In the new estate of Swan Street Avenue, a Section 106 contribution includes over £180,000

01:56for the Highstead road pedestrian footway and safety scheme, of which Dan has enquired

02:01about.

02:02Although money has been allocated, Kent County Council are yet to draw up plans.

02:06They have said funding for highway improvements in the area, including a new pavement, have

02:11been secured through a Section 106 agreement.

02:14This funding will be released once the first new homes on Swan Street Avenue are occupied.

02:20Progress on the scheme has faced challenges due to land constraints, but we are working closely

02:24with landowners to resolve these issues and deliver a safe, continuous pedestrian route.

02:30Whether the residents, please, will push the council to go the extra mile, however, seems

02:35to be stuck at a crossroads.

02:38Megan Short for Kane TV in Sittingbourne.

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