Exclusive

A plan to install new railings in St Dunstans’s Street in Canterbury is poised to be scrapped.

County council highways chief Cllr David Brazier (Con) has told the Kentish Gazette that “there’s a case for excluding them until such time as they may be proven to be necessary”.

This means that when work starts on modifications to the road on Monday, railings will not be included and will only be restored to the area if there are a pressing safety reasons for them.

Railings have sharply divided opinion in Canterbury with supporters fearing their absence will lead to accidents and opponents arguing they detract from the look of the area and encourage more dangerous driving.

Cllr Brazier, KCC’s cabinet member for highways, attended a meeting of the joint city and county councils’ transport board where councillors and members of the public spoke for and against them.

Councillors voted nine to seven against restoring the railings, which were removed in March 2012 when the Westgate Towers traffic trial started.

Today Mr Brazier said: “The likelihood is that the work undertaken will not include the railings until such time as the effects of the 20mph limit can be tested.

“As a council we have been removing railings from towns all over Kent.

“I don’t like them myself and nobody could say they are beautiful.

"My technical officers tell me they encourage traffic to speed up and for people to undertake more dangerous traffic manoeuvres.

“I’m prepared to accept that there is a different point of view and some people believe in improving road safety.

“But there’s a case for excluding them until such time as they may be proven necessary.”

The work at St Dunstan’s include a 20mph speed limit, retention of the widened footway, a crossing on Station Road West and a 7.5 tonne weight restriction.

Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones (Con), Canterbury City Council’s executive member for transport, says he will be delighted if the railings do not return.

“This is excellent news as this is the major gateway into the city for people coming in from Canterbury West,” he said.

“We want them to feel welcome rather than see a load of metal fencing.”

The issues in St Dunstan’s stretch back to March 2012 when Canterbury City Council created a new road system, which closed the archway to vehicles and regulated movement around the towers with traffic lights.

Pound Lane was also shut and access to North Lane limited.

The scheme proved hugely unpopular, creating gridlock in nearby streets and prompting KCC to undo it in Aril 2013.

Last year the Tory-controlled county council carried out a survey in which voters were offered five options – four of which proposed continuing the traffic trial system in one form or another while a fifth suggested returning to the pre-trial road lay-out. More than 80% voted for option E.

However, opponents of the scheme insist the railings must be restored to comply with the original lay-out.

Campaigner and businesswoman Debbie Barwick will call on Mr Brazier to resign unless the railings are installed and is planning to start to a petition against him.

She said: “I think this is a disgrace. Will it take for someone to die down there before they put them back in? Safety is paramount.”