Work on a controversial one-way system branded “absolutely ridiculous” could finally start this year, having been delayed twice already.
The £3 million transformation of the A28 in Wincheap, one of Canterbury’s busiest routes, is viewed by Kent County Council (KCC) as a way of “considerably easing congestion” and improving “quality of life in the area”.
Traffic heading in and out of Canterbury along Wincheap, which is one of the city’s main bottlenecks
A one-way gyratory system will restrict the main road to vehicles heading out of the city, with incoming traffic being sent through the Wincheap Industrial Estate.
But despite construction originally set to start in the summer of 2022, more than two years later there is still no sign of the traffic-busting road network.
Housebuilder Redrow is funding the project as part of its commitment to the housing development at Cockering Farm in Thanington.
It is understood that amended papers continue to be drawn up ahead of efforts to get the proposals off the ground.
With revised plans awaiting approval, bosses at the construction firm say they are preparing for work to start within the next 12 months.
Glenn Holliday, of Redrow South East, told KentOnline: “Technical approval of the site is currently being undertaken in partnership with Kent County Council.
How the one-way system in Wincheap could work
“Once agreed, we will be able to produce a detailed timeline for residents with works planned to commence by the end of this year subject to available road space to deliver the works.”
A spokesperson from Kent County Council added: “A timeline of the works can only be produced once we receive the further information we have requested back from the applicant, and when the applicant’s contractor has prepared a construction programme.”
Under previous schematics, traffic coming into Canterbury – except for buses and cyclists – would have been diverted through the Wincheap Industrial Estate along Simmonds Road, which would become a two-lane carriageway.
Lorries would also be sent through the gyratory and exit at the junction next to the Maiden’s Head pub.
The turning is already a bottleneck for park-and-ride buses exiting the industrial estate, with traffic heading in the opposite direction having to stop and allow the vehicles to exit.
It is not known whether or not the third attempt to introduce a gyratory system will offer any alternative layout to the area.
Brian Johnson of Bits ‘n’ Pieces has been resisted the Wincheap gyratory system
Approved more than five years ago alongside Cockering Farm, it was first hoped to see efforts to introduce the project commence in the summer of 2022.
It has long been hoped the work will lead to an improvement in the city’s traffic flow by removing snarled-up congestion along the 530-metre stretch between Cow Lane and the Maiden’s Head.
But in April that year, it was announced the works would be postponed until the start of 2023. No reason was given as to why.
And just days before breaking ground, Redrow was again forced to alter the timeframe – this time citing delays in the construction of the homes at Cockering Farm.
The subsequent hold-up came after a recommendation from the county and district council’s Joint Transportation Board to review the scheme, reflecting on comments from residents and businesses and providing a similar amount of on-street parking as currently exists.
Brian Johnson, the long-term owner of Wincheap’s Bits ‘n’ Pieces, previously told KentOnline it was “an absolutely ridiculous idea”.
Barney Parsons, the Wincheap Society treasurer, has also criticised the one-way system
“Traffic is nothing to do with Wincheap being two-way, it’s traffic lights that cause everything to back up,” he said.
“You go up to the retail park and count how many traffic lights there are up there.
“Somebody somewhere has got it in their head that it will alleviate traffic by sending it through the estate.
“There is absolutely no logic to it whatsoever and it will not work.
“The vast majority of the population in this area, and all the businesses on the estate are totally and utterly against it.
“It’s an absolute recipe for a disaster.”
A graphic showing the changes to the road system as a result of the proposed A2 Wincheap exit in Canterbury
Barney Parsons, the Wincheap Society’s treasurer, echoed the thoughts of Mr Johnson and countless residents in the area.
He said: “Redrow says KCC has been sent amended plans which it’s considering based on the feedback of residents. Based on the residents’ feedback, that is total nonsense.
“Residents have given feedback to various people in KCC and have been blocked at all times.”
When the work does get underway, it has been confirmed Wincheap will not be sealed off, but parts of the road may be closed for a few nights at the end of the project for re-surfacing.
It comes as the new A2 off-slip, bringing traffic into Wincheap from the Dover-bound dual carriageway, was approved for a second time earlier this month.
The issue of traffic lights was again raised as a concern, but the £8.8 million stretch of road was given the green light having previously been deemed acceptable by CCC in 2018.