Hair-raising video shows van driving wrong way up cycle lane on busy Kent A-road

A shocking video shows a van driver travelling on an A-road in Kent - in the wrong direction while using a cycle lane. The astonishing footage was captured on a dashcam this week.

The driver was on the busy A26 through St John's in Tunbridge Wells, probably the busiest route in the area, which connects the town centre to Southborough, and then on to Tonbridge and the A21.

And what makes this driving even more flabbergasting, is that the A26 is on a route lined with three of the town's main secondary schools, so the cycle lanes could have been in use by youngsters travelling to school. The weather also looks slightly foggy, with many drivers having their lights on.

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At one point in the 50 second video, the van appears to mount the kerb, while children in school uniform walk nearby on the pavement. The van driver is also seen heading towards a huge refuse lorry on the wrong side of the road.

KentLive has been given permission to share the footage, which was posted on neighbour site Nextdoor with the words "Wild West-style on avoiding traffic at St John's today".

Stunned residents were not only surprised by the obvious danger of this move, which they believed was to beat the traffic for delivering parcels, but also how many traffic violations of the Highway Code were actually made.

The poster warned against this driving, saying, "remember folks, safety first! Always obey the rules of the road and driver responsibly."

The footage, taken in the morning rush hour, has been sent to Kent Police.

A Kent Police spokesperson said: "Kent Police is aware of a reported traffic offence, whereby a white van is alleged to have travelled the wrong way along St John’s Road in Tunbridge Wells on Monday, November 18, 2024. Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident."