A20 Speed Limit Review, A20, Maidstone to Drovers Roundabout, Ashford.

A20 Site4

Site Environment
Site4 is located between the boundary of number 185 Ashford Road, Bearsted to a point approximately 300 metres west of West Street, Harrietsham. The site between the western gateway to east of Musket Lane undulates with several areas of restricted forward visibility including one double white line system. There are some bends, approximately thirty accesses and six junctions as it passes through a predominantly semi rural area. The footway runs mainly along the north side of the road. East of Musket Lane the A20 splits with one eastbound lane branching off to the nearside carrying eastbound traffic over the M20 link road before rejoining with the main carriageway east of the link road. From this split the main carriageway of the A20 continues to the roundabout junction with the spur road. East of the roundabout the A20 changes to a two lane dual carriageway for a short distance, crossing one roundabout junction with Eyhorne Street to the roundabout junction with the B2163 Penfold Hill, where east of this roundabout the A20 returns to a single carriageway road. From the M20 link road roundabout the A20 is generally level continuing through a semi rural environment. West of the Park Gate Inn Public House the road begins to undulate, passing through the rural environment of Leeds bends with double white line systems and some restricted forward visibility. The site then passes under the M20 motorway and through one more bend and levels out to the eastern gateway located to the west of West Street. Along the eastern section of the site there are a few junctions and very few accesses. There was no evidence of high usage by vulnerable road users.
Conclusion / Recommended Treatment
Site4 is an upper tier A class road of higher quality and as such should retain the existing 60/70 speed limits currently in place.

It is recommended that there is NO CHANGE to the current 60/70mph national speed limit. The eastern gateway should be moved eastwards into SiteS to a position some 15 metres east of Hook Lane. The gateway / terminal signing should be enhanced.

A20 SiteS