One incident can create chaos at a busy time

KE news editor Alastair Irvine got caught up in the gridlock as he headed to Hythe.

He said: “I joined the M20 at junction 10. There was a queue on the slip road to join the motorway and then all three lanes between junction 10 and the junction 9 turn-off were choked with traffic.

“I’ve never seen it that bad before and, of course, selfish drivers were doing their usual trick of driving up the middle lane and then cutting in to the nearside lane where patient drivers had been queuing.

“Ashford town centre was also full of traffic. It just shows how one incident can create chaos at a busy time.”

Reporters for our sister paper, Folkestone and Hythe Express, Matt Leclere and Victoria Chessum reported that it took around an hour for them both to travel to Folkestone, a trip that would normally take less than 30 minutes.

Ashford reporter Molly Mileham-Chappell said: “Luckily before leaving work on Tuesday night I had seen the KentOnline story about the traffic lights and I tried to find a different way around and out of the town centre.

“Traffic on Canterbury Road was hardly moving, and the ring road – while not at a complete standstill – was the busiest I have seen it for a long time at 6pm.

“I was reluctant to go anywhere near junction 9, 10, or the Chart Road roundabout which always seems to be busy at that time of night.”