Motorists could face a longer bout of traffic chaos after a water firm revealed plans to extend a road closure which sparked widespread gridlock across Canterbury.
South East Water shut the A257 Littlebourne Road and St Martin’s Hill as it works to fix a burst water pipe, which left hundreds of homes without a supply.
There have been long delays along the A257 Littlebourne Road towards Canterbury after the route was closed due to a burst water main
The closure snarled up surrounding roads, including the Warwick Road and Spring Lane estate as vehicles were diverted.
It also had a knock-on effect on busy routes in the city, particularly the ring road and through Harbledown.
Kent County Council (KCC) confirmed the work permit – due to end today – has been extended to Friday but the water company has refused several requests to provide details on how long the repairs are expected to take and when the route will reopen.
South East Water’s distribution manager Garth Haselgrove said: “We are sorry for the inconvenience caused by the closure of St Martin’s Hill in Canterbury.
“This is for the safety of the public and our workforce as we carry out repairs to a burst water main in the area.
There have been long delays along the A257 Littlebourne Road towards Canterbury after the route was closed due to a burst water main
“We know road closures can be frustrating for motorists and we apologise for this.
“Due to the added complications of other utilities being close by, this a complex repair and we cannot give an exact timeframe on how long the road closure will be in place.
“However, we are applying for an extension to our current permit, which is due to end today.
“Our team is working as quickly and safely as possible to complete the repair and get the road re-opened.
“We thank the community for their patience and understanding while we carry out this important work.”
Traffic in Canterbury at a near-standstill after A257 St Martin’s Hill was closed suddenly
South East Water engineers dug a hole in the road outside St Martin’s Hill Post Office.
Taps ran dry for Canterbury households and businesses in the early hours of Saturday.
The CT1 1WB postcode was impacted by water supply issues, including Querns Road, part of Military Road, Spring Lane, Howe Green and Royal Parade.
Most supplies returned on Monday but the water company is still working to fix the issue.
Chartham and Stone Street ward councillor Alister Brady says traffic is being compounded by temporary lights being installed in Sturry Road at the junction of New Town Street on the A28.
South East Water engineers dug a hole in the road outside St Martin’s Hill Post Office
It has left drivers facing long delays on the stretch while gas company, SGN, carries out repairs ahead of the road’s expected reopening next Thursday.
The company will be installing a different set of two-way lights on the A-road when it carries out maintenance near Vauxhall Road for eight days from today.
This is alongside a separate set of two-way lights in Broad Oak Road being in force overnight from tonight until Friday.
Cllr Brady, who also represents Canterbury City North on KCC, said: “Six of the eight [roadworks] are emergency work by utility companies who are legally able to close the road and then inform KCC afterwards.
“The KCC streetworks team has requested updates from the works’ promoters as soon as we receive them.
South East Water engineers have dug a hole in the road outside St Martin’s Hill Post Office
“The sites are also being inspected by the KCC street works inspectors each day to make sure the sites are occupied.”
Dozens of residents though have blasted the decision to have so many happening all at once.
One neighbour said: “Absolute insanity at seven o’clock this morning in terms of traffic. I’ve never known it like this. It’s a 90-minute tailback end-to-end.
Another person added: “We were in the city centre at about 11am and the traffic by St George’s roundabout was horrendous.
“Buses are queued up because they couldn’t get into the station – the roundabout by the police station was jammed up and the turning by the bridge was blocked up by traffic.”
Others described the situation as “madness” and something which is creating “chaos” on the roads.
A KCC spokesperson said: “Utility companies have a legal right to access their assets, and we can’t control when they complete repairs.
“As the majority of these are emergency works, which means we cannot refuse a permit to ensure that critical issues are addressed without delay, we cannot co-ordinate street works as we usually would.
“We are working with the utility companies to ensure that someone is working at each site and that the works are completed as quickly as possible.”