Fawkham Parish Council is very pleased to say that funds have been secured to make safety improvements to the footway which runs along one side of Valley Road from the Fawkham Green area to Fawkham Primary School and the village hall. A joint bid with KCC made to Sevenoaks District Council’s Community Infrastructure Levy Spending Board earlier this month was successful.
This footway is used by staff and parents walking their children to and from Fawkham primary school, which is at one end of it. It’s also used by dog walkers accessing nearby public rights of way, by people walking to the village hall and for general recreational walking.
FPC has been concerned about the safety of users of this footway for some time now. There is a short section closest to the school which has safety railings. However, this runs for only about 35m.
This compromises the safety of people using it, especially children, as:
• the footway is raised above the carriageway of Valley Road along much of its length – often as much as 2 to 3 metres above the road.
• In other places the footway runs very close to the road. At its closest point it is only 75cm from the carriageway.
This is clearly hazardous when cars, vans and HGVs are driving past primary school children walking to or from school. Vehicles appear to be travelling much faster than their actual speed when you are walking in close proximity to them or when they are approaching you from behind. When they are only 75cm away, this can be alarming, especially to a child.
FPC included this issue in our Highways Improvement Plan which we submit to KCC, as we believe it is imperative that safety improvements are carried out.
New posts and railings will be installed at the most critical sections of the footway using a method which allows for retaining features to be installed that will improve the structural integrity of the footway. Where needed, the existing footway will be excavated and re-laid.
FPC has agreed to contribute significant Parish-held CIL funding to this project, which together with a contribution from KCC and £65,000 from SDC’s CIL fund will allow the work to go ahead. The work will be scheduled for as soon as possible.
