Drivers heading downhill into Great Chart village could soon be required to give way to oncoming traffic, under proposals being consulted on by Kent County Council. Views are sought until 21 December 2026.
The measure — a priority build-out near the junction with Padwell Lane in The Street — would narrow the carriageway to slow traffic entering the village. It follows years of speeding concerns raised by Great Chart with Singleton Parish Council through its Highway Improvement Plan.
The estimated cost is £25,000, funded through KCC’s Local Transport Plan Fund. If approved, construction is expected to take place in 2027/28 and should take around one to two weeks to complete.
The build-out would be similar to the existing traffic-calming measure at the eastern end of the village near the cricket ground. Alongside the carriageway narrowing, the scheme includes a 0.5-metre drainage channel, reflective bollards, illuminated signs, upgraded street lighting, resurfacing, and new or refreshed road markings. Around 10 on-street parking spaces would be removed to make way for the works.
No 20mph limit is included in the current proposals. A reduction to 20mph was previously consulted on but could not proceed because current traffic speeds are too high to meet the requirements for that type of limit. If the build-out brings speeds down, KCC says it may consider consulting on a 20mph speed limit in the future — but this is not guaranteed and any future proposal would be separately assessed and consulted on before any decision is made.
Peter Osborne, KCC Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “We’ve been hearing concerns about speeding in Great Chart for a number of years, and these proposals are designed to help slow vehicles down as they enter the village. No decisions have been made yet, but we do want to hear from the people who live, work and travel through the area to find out what they think. I’d encourage anyone with an interest to take a look and share their views as part of the consultation.”
No decision has been made yet. The consultation is open to anyone who lives, works or travels through the area.
Key information
- Consultation open: 12 November to 21 December 2026 — online questionnaire available via Kent County Council’s consultation webpage
- Drop-in event 1: Great Chart Village Hall, TN23 3AX — 23 November 2026, 2.30pm–4.30pm
- Drop-in event 2: Great Chart Village Hall, TN23 3AX — 2 December 2026, 6pm–8pm
- Parking: around 10 on-street spaces would be removed if the scheme proceeds
- Contact: email east.highwayimprovements@kent.gov.uk or call 03000 41 81 81, quoting reference ‘The Street, Great Chart’; paper copies of the questionnaire are available on request
If approved following consultation, construction is expected to be scheduled in 2027/28.
Great Chart consulted on traffic-calming measures after years of speeding concerns Quiz
5 questions