Tonbridge Bean

Bringing you all the latest news and events in Tonbridge.

A Reader Writes in to the Tonbridge Bean – Road Signs and Road Markings

Hi Tonbridge Bean, I am writing to you as a concerned resident of Tonbridge who takes pride in our town’s appearance. As part of my commitment to keep Tonbridge clean, I sometimes take the time to clean road signs, ensuring they are visible and serving their purpose for drivers. However, a recent observation at the…

Tonbridge Bean

2025-11-20

2–3 minutes

High Street, Reader Writes In, Roads

Hi Tonbridge Bean,

I am writing to you as a concerned resident of Tonbridge who takes pride in our town’s appearance. As part of my commitment to keep Tonbridge clean, I sometimes take the time to clean road signs, ensuring they are visible and serving their purpose for drivers.

However, a recent observation at the junction of High Street and Medway Wharf Road highlights a specific issue regarding both signage and road markings that I would like to bring to wider attention.

At this junction, there is a clear “No Right Turn” restriction. This is communicated in two ways:

Regulatory Signage: There is a circular ‘No Right Turn’ sign mounted on a pole, which features a black arrow indicating a right turn crossed out with a red diagonal stripe.
- 1. Road Markings: The carriageway itself is marked with the words “NO RIGHT TURN” and a straight-ahead arrow.
- While the message itself is clear, the state of these vital traffic controls is quite poor. The regulatory sign, while still legible, is visibly dirty and worn (as seen in the accompanying photos), potentially making it less conspicuous to drivers, especially in poor lighting or weather conditions.

More concerning is the condition of the road markings. As the photograph shows, the painted words “NO RIGHT TURN” are extremely faded. Road markings are a crucial tool for driver awareness, often providing primary guidance. When they are this faded, they become almost useless, creating confusion or leading to accidental contravention of the traffic regulation.

No right turn road markings on to Medway Wharf Road (Near Verdi Gris)

I have already reported the faded words on the road surface to Kent Highways, as this needs professional attention to be repainted to the correct standard.

I hope that by highlighting this publicly in the Tonbridge Bean, we can encourage the relevant authorities to regularly maintain and update these essential safety features. A clean and clearly marked road network is important for both the flow and safety of traffic in our town.

Thank you for allowing me to share this.

Concerned resident of Tonbridge.

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