An experimental one-way traffic scheme near a McDonald’s drive-thru is here to stay, despite initial controversy.
The scheme in Maidstone was introduced after motorists experienced huge jams and delays trying to get on and off the Lockmeadow Estate, which also backed up into the town centre.
Barker Road is the only vehicular access to the estate which includes the drive-thru McDonald’s, a cinema, the Lockmeadow food court, a sports club, the crown court, B&Q and several thousand flats.
The scheme prohibits traffic that enters Barker Road from the A20, The Broadway, from turning right into Hart Street in order to access either McDonald’s or the Marino’s Fish Bar.
Instead, they have to proceed further down Barker Street to a newly created mini-roundabout where they can turn into Hart Street from the other end, with Hart Street becoming one-way.
The scheme was installed in March and April 2023, using an experimental traffic order - which by law can only be in place a maximum of 18 months.
It initially proved hugely controversial - partly due to poor signage - and many motorists simply ignored the No Entry signs at Hart Street and turned in anyway.
The one-way system was branded as “dangerous”, with calls for it to be scrapped completely, and tempers when traffic became gridlocked for hours.
A survey in June 2023 found that in the course of one week 1,809 drivers ignored the No Entry signs.
But after improved signage was introduced and people became more used to the system, that figure fell and a month later was down to 716.
Many of the offenders are reported to be motorcyclists, cyclists and delivery drivers servicing the Hart Street busineses.
A lengthy public consultation on the scheme produced 140 responses, with 69 objections to the one-way system and 68 supporters (three were undecided).
KCC’s programme manager Ryan Shiel said there was still concern over the numbers disobeying the restrictions, and suggested that in the long term, they could be enforced with a traffic camera.
But in the meantime, he said, councillors had to decide whether they wanted to keep the one-way system and make it permanent, or to remove it, since the 18-month deadline was approaching.
Mr Shiel said funding was in place, a contractor lined up, and that the temporary No Entry signs and concrete and plastic barriers could be replaced with permanent fixtures before Christmas.
The concrete barriers will be replaced by an extended footway kerb line to permanently narrow the carriageway and reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians.
New dropped kerbs will be installed and more prominent, illuminated No Entry signage installed and better road markings placed at the Hart Street/Barker Road junction.
Cllr Chris Passmore (Lib Dem) conceded that initially there had been a lot of resistance and said: “It didn’t seem that it was going to work.
“But people have now got used to the idea. It’s settled down.
“People understand the routine - how you do actually go to McDonald’s around the long way but then get out much more quickly, so I whole-heartedly endorse the scheme.”
His colleagues agreed and the board voted unanimously to make the scheme permanent.
However, some people are still to be won over.
Gina Michaelis has run Marino’s Fish Bar for 34 years. She said: “The problem has not been solved at all.
“Sometimes traffic flows freely, but whenever there is a big event at Lockmeadow or when there is some hold-up like roadworks on the Tonbridge Road, the traffic still backs up and the area grinds to a halt.
“My business has definitely been dramatically affected.
“And there are still cars turning the wrong way onto the one-way. I was speaking to one of the councillors here at the shop and while we were talking seven vehicles turned in. Is that problem solved?”
Hart Street resident Ian Allen agreed. He said: “The one-way system hasn’t tackled the real problem which is the lights at the junction with The Broadway.
“I’ve seen so many near accidents because of the one-way - with people not giving way at the mini-roundabout and people still trying to drive in the No Entry, especially in the evenings when the traffic is lighter.
“Of course, there only has to be one car coming the other way and there’s the potential for an accident.
“To say the one-way has solved the problem is ridiculous.”
Human Interest Kent Maidstone Malling Traffic and Travel Alan Smith
