Crossing and double crossing?

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by

Editor
in ,
Sturry Crossing (Pic: ABC Railway guides)

Next week the plans for the flyover, the last part of the triple application for development at Sturry and Broad Oak will be under consideration by KCC Planning Committee.

At nearly £30m, it is a large project and will have far reaching effects.

But also in the application is the plan to change the traffic priorities next to the Sturry Rail Crossing. You can see the proposal below…

The railway crossing is at the bottom of this diagram

As you can see, all traffic from Hersden will be forced to turn up Sturry Hill, and not be allowed to turn left over the crossing towards the village High Street. Instead they must go up the hill to the new roundabout that will be built for the link road and then come back down the hill. There will be traffic lights to ‘help’ with access towards the crossing.

Here is a larger view of the plans

The northbound bus stop moves south of the railway crossing.

There has been public consultation on this: this is from KCC’s Sturry Link Road consultation report

Do you have any preference for one of the three junction options shown?
There were 113 responses to this question
 31% of respondents preferred Option 1
 7% of respondents preferred Option 2
 17% of respondents preferred Option 3
 29% of respondents selected ‘None of the above’ (i.e. no preference)
 16% of respondents selected ‘Don’t Know’

One can speculate that those who opted for ‘none of the above’ wished for no change, and found all the suggestions inadequate and unacceptable.

Below are the two rejected junction proposals.

Option 2
Option 3

We would like to hear your thoughts (info@sturryandbroadoak.co.uk)

KCC will not take general comments on their planning site. However, our local KCC councillor can be contacted here …


alan.marsh@kent.gov.uk

Comments

4 responses to “Crossing and double crossing?”

  1. Philip May avatar
    Philip May

    I don’t believe any of the options are financially viable or needed, why does access to the village need to be restricted from one direction or the other? This whole scheme is a waste of money and would be an inconvenience to many people rather than improving lives.
    Please start paying more attention to residents rather than planners and builders with pound note signs clouding there judgement.

    Reply
  2. Editor avatar
    Editor

    While accepting that the proposed new link road will be a considerable improvement for users of the A291, I am very concerned that the proposed traffic realignment at the level crossing, will do nothing to relieve congestion on the A28 caused by vehicles traveling from Hersden and Thanet areas.

    The complex signaling system proposed for the junction will only add delays, and A28 users will have to give way at the new roundabout, causing further delay.

    In my opinion, it would be better to retain the status quo. This would mean that the primary route to Canterbury for A28 traffic would be over the level crossing. When the crossing gates are closed, traffic would have the option to turn right and join the new link road. Local traffic would still be able to access Sturry village and Fordwich without having to negotiate the unfriendly trombone route.

    Tony Gammon, Island Road, Sturry.

    Reply
  3. Lyn Page avatar
    Lyn Page

    Totally agree with Mr Gammon, traffic should have the option of going over the crossing when travelling from A28. The proposed scheme will cause chaos during construction and congestion and pollution will increase over the years.

    Reply
  4. Stewart avatar
    Stewart

    The whole thing is a joke!
    How many new houses are going in around Hersden, Sturry and Broad Oak? Plus any new housing from Thanet that will need to use the A28…
    The road system should have been implemented long before all the extra traffic needed to be using the road, its a nightmare already, pile on extra traffic and then road works to ‘ease’ the problem… Its all being done the wrong way round!

    Reply

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