Brenley Corner put in top 50 of UK’S worst accident spots

Highways bosses have earmarked Brenley Corner for urgent improvements in a fresh report branding it one of the worst accident spots in the UK.

The new study predicts that issues on the traffic-hit junction will only worsen if money is not found to make changes ahead of hundreds of new houses being built in the area.

It was published just days before a woman was injured on the busy roundabout when her car flipped onto its side after colliding with a lorry.

The accident, on Friday, was the latest in a string of crashes at the junction, which has seen traffic using it increase by 43% in the last 15 years.

A new lane on the Canterbury approach to the A2 is planned to ease the congestion, which is only expected to get worse as new housing developments are built in Faversham.

The town’s MP, Helen Whately, last week questioned transport secretary Chris Grayling about Brenley Corner in the House of Commons.

She highlighted the urgent need for improvements, quoting the Kent Route Strategy – a Highways England report which describes the junction as “in the top 50 casualty locations nationally”.

It says: “Safety issues at Brenley Corner may become worse with proposed future growth and increased freight volumes.”

Mr Grayling told Ms Whately it was too early for the government to commit to individual projects, but added: “What I would say to my honourable friend is that we are looking very carefully at that study and others, and we are seized of the need to make sure we address problems like the one she talks about.”

Mrs Whately says she is pleased the message appears to be getting through.

“The consequence of the poor junction design at Brenley Corner is not just delays for longdistance traffic passing along the trunk route but hours spent in traffic jams, day after day, for local drivers,” she said.

“While the planned extra lane on the A2 should help ease the traffic, that’s not going to solve the problem.

“The next round of major investment in England’s roads is due to be in the government’s Road Investment Strategy for 2020.

“I want to make sure that there is funding to improve Brenley Corner in that plan – if not before.”

Faversham MP Helen Whately. wants government funding to improve conditions at Brenley Corner