Traffic could drive firms away

Sort out the problem or the estate will die.

That’s the message from business owners who say increasingly lengthy traffic jams are crippling companies on the Medway City Estate.

Medway Council has been told urgent action is required to end the daily nightmare for 6,000 people getting to and from work on the estate near Strood.

But still the problem remains, with the council standing by its line that it is “exploring options” to address the situation.

That is not good enough, according to Roland Beaumont, director of Information Technology System Support Ltd based in Anthony’s Way.

He has been asking lorry drivers to move on if they were blocking traffic, in lieu of council action, and said he had been contacted by one company asking to help their managing director relocate his office to his home.

This marked, said Mr Beaumont “the first of many I fear, and the potential death of the estate if it catches on”.

And he added: “It’s a sizeable company and he’s got to the point where he can’t deal with the traffic any more. He’s looking to move his staff out too.”

The council said it was taking steps to alleviate congestion. Michael Edwards, its head of integrated transport, said: “We are exploring a number of options to ease congestion including parking restrictions following concerns raised regarding HGVs parking on the estate and causing traffic flow issues.”

It is also exploring the automation of lights controlling traffic at the Medway Tunnel to help traffic leave the estate quicker.