Canterbury junction to get mini roundabout under council plans

Drivers, bus passengers, pedestrians and families on the school run in Canterbury could all see changes to a busy junction — if Kent County Council presses ahead with plans to scrap the existing give-way layout at St Stephen’s Hill, Downs Road and Hackington Close and replace it with a mini roundabout. The council has opened a public consultation, and anyone who lives, works or travels through that part of the city has until Sunday 1 November 2026 to make their feelings known.

The scheme would also shift an existing pedestrian crossing on Downs Road to a new position, add a brand-new crossing on St Stephen’s Hill, realign the kerb on the north-east corner of Downs Road, and relocate the traffic-calming chicane currently sitting on Downs Road. The council says the changes are designed to make the junction safer for walkers, increase its capacity, and help buses move through more reliably.

The £150,000 cost wouldn’t come out of KCC’s general budget. It’s ring-fenced Department for Transport Bus Service Improvement Plan funding, set aside specifically for bus infrastructure.

The consultation runs from 5 October to 1 November 2026. The key figures, if the scheme gets the go-ahead:

• Around £150,000 — estimated total cost, funded through Department for Transport BSIP money
• February 2027 — potential construction window, conditional on approval
• One to two weeks — how long construction looks set to take

Not confirmed yet, any of it. After the consultation closes, the council will analyse the feedback, publish a report and set out its decisions. February 2027 construction depends entirely on what that process concludes.

Key information

• The consultation is open from 5 October to 1 November 2026
• It covers the junction of St Stephen’s Hill, Downs Road and Hackington Close, Canterbury
• Views are invited from anyone who lives, works or travels through the area
• Search for the consultation on kent.gov.uk to submit your response