How junction looked before the Ringway

With yet another set of vastly inconvenient road improvements on the infamous Ringway around the town coming to a close, one wonders why the road chiefs at Kent Highways didn’t get it right the first time.

Earlier in the year, those of us venturing in and out of town by car or public transport had to endure weeks and weeks of irritating diversions as a result of the closure of the North Street/Somerset Road junction while they “staggered” the crossings at the key junction.

But no sooner than that was completed, works started further down Somerset Road at its junction with Mace Lane and Wellesley Road to do the same.

With the most recent reorganisation of what has been described as a concrete collar around the town – completed only eight years ago in 2008 – many residents have described the works as a waste of money, and asked why they didn’t get it right in the first instance.

The work has caused numerous delays and diversions thus making many late for appointments and causing buses to be late, having to go off their normal routes.

With the state of the roads around the borough, many have also questioned the motives of this recent project, saying that money needs to be spent elsewhere instead of making pretty shapes with kerb stones.

Even the painted struck-out markings – a pre-Ringway feature – have been reincarnated, as seen in this week’s pictures.

Back in the early 1970s things were a little different. With less traffic on the road, the recently completed junction of Somerset Road and Wellesley Road was not relied on as a through route as much as it is today.

This week Remember When takes a look back at the junction in its pre-Ringway days of 1970 and during the original alterations in 1973.

Do you have any photographs or slides that you would be willing to lend me, to enable them to be scanned and featured in the Kentish Express?

If so, please write to me: Steve Salter, Kentish Express Remember When, 34-36 North Street, Ashford TN24 8JR; or email me at rememberwhen_ kmash@hotmail.co.uk or follow me on Twitter @SteveKMAshford.

You can also leave a telephone message for me with brief details by calling 01233 623232.

Somerset Road, at its junction with Wellesley Road, in 1973. In this view, the houses seen in the previous picture are gone, and the key junction is showing during the Ringway works. A policeman directs traffic around the temporary road, with the newly...

Somerset Road, at its junction with Wellesley Road, in 1970. Before the Ringway, the junction was much quieter. Note the struck-out markings on the road to show drivers the junction – an idea that has returned. The houses on the left were demolished...