Herne Bay: Controversial new road layout to be reconsidered

Residents and businesses have raised concerns about the traffic measures

A working group will be formed to address an active travel scheme that residents claim has "broken the town in two".

The £600,000 plans in Herne Bay, Kent, include cycle lanes, speed limits and a plaza to discourage car use and make roads safer.

Opponents asked the council to reconsider the scheme due to concerns over traffic congestion.

A previous meeting was abandoned due to too many attendants.

More than 100 people queued outside the venue on 9 January, forcing the event to be cancelled after five minutes.

On Tuesday, more than 600 people attended the meeting at King's Hall.

Neil Baker, Kent County Council (KCC)'s cabinet member for highways and transport, announced a working party would be formed to determine how the scheme could progress.

Resident Simon Welsh previously said the changes had "broken the town in two", and a petition started by resident Sallyann Baxter against the scheme gained more than 1,400 signatures.

Ms Baxter claimed to have had a near-miss on the new one way system.

She said: "The new layout around our newly formed plaza has resulted in traffic congestion on our high street and is discouraging visitors from coming to our area."

Concerns have also been raised about new road signs being in "confusing places".

Kate Birkett raised concerns about the route of the Herne Bay Carnival, including that it could not pass along the seafront because a new plaza closed off a section in front of the pier.

However, Mr Baker told the meeting: "Whatever it takes, the carnival remains on its usual route."

Mr Baker previously acknowledged that the scheme - funded by central government - had been implemented too quickly.

Concerns were raised about the route of the Herne Bay Carnival

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