Mark Gardner makes a typically good point (Faversham News, Gardner Digs, October 1, 2015) in suggesting that Faversham drivers should grin and bear it at the “modestly” congested junction of Ashford Road/A2/The Mall, rather than submit to the expensive and uncertain outcome of traffic lights or roundabouts.

In fact drivers could go one step further and slow down to a maximum of 20mph as they approach the junction. In doing so they might find, contrary to perceived wisdom, they actually get through the junction faster. Why? Because junctions become more efficient at lower speeds. 

If you don’t believe me, you can try it yourself. Next time you drive through, take five or ten miles off your speed. What you might find is that cars waiting to turn into the road ahead of you are able to do so more easily. Rather than having to wait for you – and perhaps the chain of speeding cars behind you – to get through, they can instead slip in to the road ahead of you. Now imagine what would happen if most people did this. The entire junction would flow more efficiently.

Before we spend tens of thousands of pounds on lights or roundabouts, we could carry out a no-cost experiment by driving at 20, not 30mph through the junction. If this works then, for a modest cost – well below the capital expense of the municipal transport paraphernalia currently under consideration – we could install 20mph signs and begin the transformation of Faversham’s driving culture. At 20mph drivers can nod, wave and smile at each other. Now fancy that.

We might use all five fingers to greet each other and not just one or two.