Ring road’s arrival isolated town centre

Throughout the 1970s, the heart of Ashford underwent a substantial alteration to its road system.

The notable scheme known as the ring road was undertaken in several stages and commenced in 1971.

By 1978, the final stage was completed.

The said section in Station Road involved land and properties being compulsorily purchased, as was the case with the earlier stages in Elwick Road, Forge Lane/New Street and Somerset Road/Wellesley Road.

While locals agreed that a scheme to resolve the town’s gridlocked streets was necessary, many were critical of the chosen route and the amount of demo- lition the scheme necessitated.

The scheme effectively encircled its way around the town’s heart as an ‘inner’ ring road, thus isolating the town centre to a degree.

The road - three or sometimes four lanes in places - became synonymous for its race track-type image, and was a regular haunt for the boy racers of the time.

In 2008, planners digressed from their original 1970s plans and took the decision to substantially alter and calm the notorious scheme, which involved making some sections two way/ reversing the traffic flow, providing shared space and introducing many more traffic lights along key sections of the route.

Still dissatisfied with the 2008 alterations, Kent County Council has again revised and amended its plans with work to further alter the road layout at the Victoria Way and Elwick Road junctions, and other notable points around the route.

With the questionable and recent need to dig things up once more, many question the state of the town’s other roads that are in dire need of attention.

As one local lady told me: “We can moan as much as we like about the state of our roads in the locality but it rarely gets us anywhere!”

This week, Remember When ventures back to 1978 during the ring road’s final stage of construction within the realms of Station Road.

Do you have any photographs or slides of old Ashford you would be willing to loan me to enable them to be scanned for possible feature in the Kentish Express?

Please don’t delay, feel free to get in touch.

Write to me: Steve Salter, Kentish Express Remember When, Unit 4, Park Mall Shopping Centre, Ashford, Kent. TN24 8RY

Email me: rememberwhen_ kmash@hotmail.co.uk

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Or you can also leave a telephone message for me with brief details by calling the Kentish Express office in Park Mall on 01233 623232.