Kent County Council is asking residents to comment on proposals to add cycle lanes, seven new toucan crossings and wider pavements to a 1.4-mile stretch of the A226 in Stone — but no construction money has been confirmed yet.
Cyclists, walkers and bus passengers along London Road in Stone could find the road significantly redesigned if Kent County Council presses ahead with a £2.5 million scheme now out for public consultation. The plans cover the A226 between the Cotton Lane junction and St Clements Way Roundabout in Greenhithe, aiming to make it easier and safer to travel on foot, by bike or by bus — without disrupting traffic flow.
The proposals include cycle lanes on both sides of London Road, wider footways, and continuous footways across side roads, meaning cyclists and pedestrians would not have to give way at every junction. Seven signal-controlled toucan crossings — the kind that let both cyclists and pedestrians cross together — and new parallel zebra crossings are also on the table, along with eight floating bus stops. Those floating stops work by placing a small island between the bus stop and the cycle lane, so cyclists do not have to weave around waiting passengers.
Parking arrangements would change too. Five new bays would be created, but 11 existing spaces would be removed where they conflict with the safety improvements. Waiting restrictions and clearly marked bays are proposed to tackle lorries parking on the pavement, a persistent nuisance on busy arterial roads like this one. A consistent 30mph limit would apply along the whole route, with a new 27-metre bus lane introduced.
KCC received £100,000 from Active Travel England’s Local Transport Fund to develop the design. But that is design money only. If the scheme goes ahead, the council would need to apply separately for construction funding, and the full £2.5 million has not been secured. No building start date has been set.
The council says London Road connects homes, schools, shops, businesses and public transport links between Stone, Dartford town centre, Greenhithe and Ebbsfleet. The proposals follow feedback gathered during a Dartford Borough Council consultation in 2024, and KCC is working on the project alongside Dartford Borough Council and Stone Town Council.
The consultation closes at midnight on 2 November 2026. Two drop-in sessions are being held at Stone Pavilion, Hayes Road, Stone, Greenhithe — Thursday 1 October 2026 from 1pm to 4pm, and Tuesday 13 October 2026 from 5pm to 7pm — where residents can view the plans and put questions to the people behind them.
Key information
- Consultation closes: midnight, Monday 2 November 2026
- Drop-in session 1: Stone Pavilion, Hayes Road, Stone, Greenhithe — Thursday 1 October 2026, 1pm–4pm
- Drop-in session 2: Stone Pavilion, Hayes Road, Stone, Greenhithe — Tuesday 13 October 2026, 5pm–7pm
- Estimated scheme cost: £2.5 million (construction funding not yet confirmed)
If the consultation supports the scheme, KCC will finalise the detailed design, confirm the full cost and apply to Active Travel England for construction funding.
London Road in Stone to get cycle lanes and new crossings under £2.5m plan Quiz
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