Junction 10 misery for drivers

Motorists reported more gridlock misery at junction 10 of the M20 after workmen moved in to clear overgrown plants deemed a safety risk.

Highways England contractors arrived on Tuesday and blocked off two lanes of traffic on the roundabout while the work was carried out.

But residents and motorists who rely on the approach roads reported being stuck in queues for 30 minutes at the notorious junction, which has been plagued by problems such as traffic-light failures in recent months.

Among those affected was Ken Paine, who lives in the Highfield estate, which is only

‘They’ve done these works in the middle of the day, why couldn’t it have been done at night?’

accessible via Barrey Road and the A2070 on the approach to junction 10.

He said: “It’s a disaster waiting to happen, traffic is now queuing back to McDonald’s, it’s stop-start traffic.

“They’ve done these roadworks in the middle of the day, why couldn’t it have been done at night?

“It’s taken me half an hour to get through. I don’t feel like going back out as it will take so long, it’s like being a prisoner in your own home.”

Mr Paine fears the problems at the junction will be compounded when the A2070 is closed between Kennington and Willesborough for roadwidening works in June.

Meanwhile motorist Joe Elgar said it took him 20 minutes to get out of the car park of Tesco superstore at Crooksfoot.

He reported seeing ambul ances struggling to get through the traffic, and said his journey to Godinton Park took him 45 minutes.

On Twitter, David Williams wrote: “I was stuck in this traffic for 35 minutes just to get from the Ashford Business Park to Park Farm. It’s a complete mess.”

On Facebook, Karen McRobert posted: “It’s getting beyond a joke now, running a business with deliveries in Ashford is becoming a real headache.”

The work is set to finish tomorrow (Friday), but Highways England press officer Valerie Amar-Matthews said workmen no longer need to block any lanes of the roundabout itself.

She added: “We have had to carry out some vegetation clearance for safety reasons as it was starting to affect some of the visibility along different sections of the A2070 on the approach to the M20.”

What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, Unit 4, Park Mall Shopping Centre, Ashford TN24 8RY or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

Gridlock on the approach to junction 10 of M20 this week

An Ambulance trying to make it through to junction 10, and more traffic chaos on the M20 last year