Roadworks on hold until 11th June

According to the Spirit of Sittingbourne, the next phase of works in the Spirit of Sittingbourne regeneration programme commenced today; however, following feedback from town centre businesses and the general public the Spirit of Sittingbourne are pausing the advertised road closures.

Work on site has also been impacted by today’s heavy rainfall.

The Spirit of Sittingbourne claims that they pausing the road closures in order to confirm the most appropriate traffic diversion routes and also to make changes to our plans for temporary bus stops by the station and Forum. This short pause will still allow the A2 to be reopened by the time schools return in September.

I would, however, contend that the work along Station Street and in the Forum car park is a significant barrier to commencing with the planned diversions and road closures, and given that we've had the press briefing and the diversion route was published by the Spirit of Sittingbourne a couple of weeks ago, it seems somewhat implausible to now suggest that the most appropriate traffic diversion routes still need to be confirmed.

After the fiasco of the phase one road closures which resulted in incorrect information being given out, you would have thought that they would have learned from their mistakes so it is regrettable to find ourselves once again in exactly the same boat.

Road closures will begin by June 11 and will be advertised in advance by yellow signs, via the media, social media and on their website www.spiritofsittingbourne.com.

My advise it to take any dates published with a hefty dose of salt, the only guarantee I can provide is that whatever is said now will probably be wrong.

Andy Hudson
Sittingbourne.Me

 

 I do believe the halt to the road closures was due to Complaints from public and businesses not Feedback as we have never been asked by SoS to give that. I am not convinced that the work will commence on the 11th. and it remains to be seen if we get advanced warnings too.