I see that KMonline are reporting utter chaos as part of the new East Kent Access road is open.
Do Kent highways ever get things right, while the new road will undoubtably eventually improve Thanet's links to the outside world, it seems as with so much here in East Kent to be poorly managed and a little late, by the time it's fully operational most of Pfizer's will have gone.
Thanet traffic misery, seems unavoidable, Westwood Cross is as bad as ever, even more worrying for me will be the building of Tesco-on-sea just along Marine Terrace, which for much of the day will become a hideous traffic jam.
Thanet council and their lacklustre colleagues at Kent Highways seam incapable of coherent planning.
Already TDC have agreed to a thousand plus houses at Westwood and are now trying to add to the misery by allowing house building on adjacent land currently designated for industry.
Why can't Kent council work together and try a little strategic thinking I just hope they haven't cocked up my route to and from work.
Anyway enjoy the heatwave where god intended stuck in slow moving traffic jam.
Does anyone here know whether it's now possible again to cycle from Richborough to Minster (or vice versa) via Ebbsfleet Lane & Grinsell Hill? For months that route has been closed, & us cyclists have had to use the busy & dangerous Canterbury Road West instead.
ReplyDeleteCan only speak as I find, but had to go over to Betteshanger this morning and must say, whilst Westwood was its usual chaos, the new road was fine.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with you about the sense, or lack of it, on all the proposed new housing. Where are they all going to work or maybe they won't and its just a plot to turn Thanet red. Then that does not make sense if KCC and TDC are backing the plans. The plot thickens but I am sure Goldman Sachs must be behind it somewhere.
surely the new road, is the port of dover relief road, and when operation comes into eeffect sometime in the future the M" and thanet way will be a lorry park.
ReplyDeleteSee Cllr. Driver in today's Gazette is calling for more social housing and part of the reason he gives is to absorb all the people who are going to move down from London due to the housing benefit cap.
ReplyDeleteNow correct me if I am wrong, but surely the people affected by this cap are those living in high rent private housing stock, not social. Since he claims that private sector rents in Thanet will also inflate dramatically, just why would they come here.
In the same letter he talks about our jobs problem aggravated by the Pfizer closure so just where does he think all these people from London are going to work. Or maybe the plan is they won't and Thanet will just become one huge council estate for the jobless.
Also, last time I looked Cllr. Driver was a Labour member yet it was his party who not so long ago opposed plans for social housing in Thanet.
All gets a bit confusing and maybe he should stick to his megaphone shouting at unfortunate animals in trucks. Or is it the drivers he is shouting at, something that might be of interest to Unite!
Peter, yes there is going to be a cycle route from richborough to minster, in fact it seems almost complete.. (a new spot for photo shoots?)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ken! Will probably check it out over the weekend.
ReplyDeleteFrom John Kirby - As the KCC Councillor for Ramsgate and TDC Pegwell and district the East Kent Access road has been a high priority for some years now. I have chaired various meetings in the last few years with the full team of KCC Officers and the Contractors to give full updates on the work so far. The last meeting was in Cliffsend on 28th July when the closure of Lord of the Manor was top of the agenda. This is bound to cause some disruption during the 12 week period while this work is completed - but with the road nearly 6 months ahead of schedule it is imperative that as much work is carried forward to alleviate any delays in the winter months to come through inclement weather. Alternative routes to Dover and Cliffsend have been signposted and the message from all the meetings I have attended was to get on with the work and get the road completed and I am sure the benefit to most people in Thanet both private and business will be appreciated in the months and years
ReplyDeleteahead - and make Thanet much more accessible and prove that we are open for business - John Kirby
John improvements to our road links are certainly welcome, just hope that similar improvements are made to access to Margate and Westwood, some time soon.
ReplyDeleteOne big concern for those of us in Margate is the effect Tesco will have if their supermarket gets built on Margate front, it will be a blimmin disaster