Roll-out of extended 20mph speed limit to start

Signs and new road markings will be installed in Sevenoaks from 12 August

New road signs will start appearing in Sevenoaks this month in preparation for an extension of a 20mph speed limit.

The signs, and also new road markings, will be installed from 12 August ahead of the start of the restrictions on 1 October.

Sevenoaks Town Council say the limits are being bought in to boost road safety around schools and public spaces and to help the environment.

The works, being scheduled and undertaken by Kent County Council, are being funded by the town council.

The Mayor of Sevenoaks, Councillor Libby Ancrum, said: "There is a great deal of evidence that, in urban settings, lower vehicle speeds significantly reduce accidents, improve air quality and make the community a better place to be.

"We are very pleased that residents of the town supported the project, and we are looking forward to delivering a safer, greener Sevenoaks."

Proposals for a 20mph zone have been considered for several years and attracted several petitions.

Sevenoaks Town Council and Kent County Council ran separate consultations on different versions of the scheme.

The town council's survey, conducted in November and December last year, found 66% of almost 2,550 responses supported a 20mph limit in residential roads and roads near schools.