Kentish Express Ashford & District
A28 widening a step closer
Also due to be discussed at the JTB meeting is the £33million proposal to widen the congested A28.
The plans include dualling Chart Road between the Tank and Matalan roundabouts to increase the capacity needed to support the planned Chilmington Green development and future commercial and residential growth.
The objective is to provide a dual carriageway, plus footpaths and cycle paths, along both sides of the road, as well as improving the junctions at the Tank roundabout, Matalan roundabout and Loudon Way, which leads to the Godinton Park housing estate.
A report released ahead of next week’s meeting states: “The corridor is highly constrained but the overarching principle is to widen as much as possible on the eastern side to mitigate the impact on Godinton Park residents while not adversely affecting Cobbs Wood industrial estate and access to those businesses.”
As part of the plans, the Tank and Matalan roundabouts will be enlarged, and the Tank one will need to be “lozenge shaped’ to take the five entry arms.
A narrow slip of land would be taken from East Lodge, the house opposite Geerings in Chart Road, to accommodate the dualling, and some trees would also be lost on the Godinton side of the road as this would also be widened.
Noise pollution could be a problem but the report says “traffic noise screening” will be provided for Godinton Park residents so that “they are no worse than at present and ideally that the situation can be improved”.
The scheme is estimated to cost £33 million - although £10.2 million of this has already been secured from Local Growth Funding.
People are expected to be consulted on the plans in November this year.
Subject to approval, it is estimated that the project would begin in 2018/19, with an 18-month to two-year construction period.