Hawkenbury Road residents call for a lower speed limit between Headcorn and Staplehurst after crash outside The Hawkenbury pub
Residents say it's lucky nobody was killed after a truck smashed into the front of a pub, wiping out a row of picnic benches. Neighbour India Philip, who would have been standing in its path if she'd arrived home just minutes later, has now started a campaign to get the speed limit reduced along the stretch, fearing the next accident could be fatal.
The shocking incident, which was caught on CCTV, happened in Hawkenbury Road, between Headcorn and Staplehurst, at 6pm on Monday (July 21). The footage shows the flatbed truck hurtling off the carriageway at speed, and crashing through the fences outside The Hawkenbury Pub, before hitting two parked cars and coming to a stop outside a row of cottages.
India, a 21-year-old legal secretary, has now started a petition[1] asking Kent County Council (KCC) to reduce the speed limit from 60mph to 30mph or something that's "suitably safer", and for physical traffic calming measures or signage to protect residents. It has been signed by 200 people already. A KCC spokesperson said it understands the concerns the incident has caused, and it is "committed" to working with communities to improve road safety.
Publicans Jonathan and Alison Woodbridge have been at the helm of The Hawkenbury for 12 and a half years.
They say the crash is estimated to have caused GBP30,000 of damage and fear that, if the pub had not been closed that day, customers sitting out the front would have been taken out.
He said: "Had we been open, people would have been sat out there and there would have been serious injury or death, very clearly. "It looks like a bomb's hit it." Instead, the vehicle smashed through a fence, electric light fittings and a window and door frames, as well as damaging two neighbours' cars and their fences too.
He says the incident has understandably deterred customers from sitting in the front patio area, which is usually popular in the summer. "It will have an impact on our trade until the fencing is done," he added. Jonathan had raised the issue with the council in the past, which resulted in two 'Welcome to Hawkenbury, please slow down' signs, but believes it would be better to have a flashing 'slow down' sign or a 40-mph restriction.
Meanwhile, India says the incident was "shockingly close" and easily could have been a tragedy as she walked in her front door at 6.01pm, two minutes before the van crashed. She said: "Like many of my neighbours, I've watched car after car treat it like a racetrack, thanks to a 60mph speed limit that makes no sense in a residential area.
"We've complained. We've raised concerns.
We've reported accidents. A child was even knocked down. And still, nothing has changed."
The 21-year-old who had only moved to the property with her partner in December asked the question: "Would I have had to die for the council to finally act?"
Echoing these concerns, Jason Bazzard, who has lived in the area for less than a year, says he has already seen many near misses but that the latest incident could easily have been fatal. The 55-year-old said: "I would urge the local council to take action quickly and install traffic calming measures and a 30mph before someone is killed." Chloe Butcher and Dan Woodbridge, who both work at The Hawkenbury, are also in support of a reduced speed limit.
"The current limit is not aligned with the residential nature of the street and the presence of pedestrians, cyclists, and families that live on the street and socialise in the pub," Chloe said.
Sarah Emberson (Reform), KCC councillor for Maidstone Rural East, said she was "fully committed" to taking all necessary steps to improve road safety in the community.
She said: "I am currently working in close collaboration with the relevant teams within the highways division, and I continue to liaise with parish councils--including Headcorn Parish Council--to support the adoption and implementation of their highways improvement plans." A spokesperson from KCC said it is committed to working with communities to improve road safety and respond to concerns raised about the road network. The council explained that when road traffic accidents occur, Kent Police investigates and determines the reasons behind them, which can take up to six months.
It said: "Until we receive this information, it is difficult to assess the safety measures that would be appropriate for this location.
"We will continue to work closely with Kent Police and consider all available evidence to assess whether changes, including a review of the speed limit, are appropriate.
"Any proposed changes to speed limits must follow the statutory consultation process and be supported by evidence to ensure they are effective and enforceable."
The police confirmed officers were called, but there were no serious injuries reported and no criminal investigation into the accident.