Kentish Express Ashford & District
Thousands back calls for better
An online petition demanding improvements at a “death trap” junction leading to and from a busy retail park received more than 1,000 signatures in less than 24 hours after its launch.
The change.org petition for a roundabout or traffic lights at the Ashford Retail Park junction in Sevington was created on Sunday and quickly resulted in scores of people backing it.
As the Kentish Express went to press yesterday (Wednesday) the petition had amassed 3,198 pledges of support.
Concerns have been raised by motorists in the past about the junction in Sevington alongside the A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road, leading to Junction 10 on the M20, but the online letter says that since the shop expansions on the retail park “traffic is just getting worse and worse”.
The junction currently operates a give way system to those already on the dual carriageway.
The change.org webpage also highlights concerns over safety with stationary vehicles joining the dual carriageway which has a 70mph speed limit.
Stacey-Louise Smith, 25, who lives in Kingsnorth, set up the petition with the plan to send it to Kent County Council. She said: “I’ve grown up in Ashford and lived here all my life, and feel very strongly about this petition as that junction is a death trap.
“It’s just a nasty accident waiting to happen.”
The working mum of three added: “I haven’t even been over to Smyths yet to start my Christmas shopping just because of the sheer volume of traffic and it’s gridlocked – you physically cannot move.
“Something needs to be done about it before someone gets killed.
“I have been witness to many small bangs, none serious but enough to write someone’s car off and ruin their day.
“If they want people spending money here then they need to get more parking and more traffic managed. Simple as that.”
Sue Whybrow, 44, is a resident at Church Road, next to the retail park, and also works in customer service at Wickes on the retail park.
She said: “It is absolute chaos, getting out of my road in particular. The etiquette of driving is to give way but people don’t give way.”
She has been keeping a record of accidents around the site.
Speaking as a spokesman for the Ashford Wickes store about the traffic problems, she said: “The majority of customers that come in complain about it.
“If there is an accident that really does put a hold-up here.
“Something that can take minutes can take half an hour now.”
On days when the traffic is particularly bad, Wickes customers have chosen to go elsewhere to get their home improvement supplies, and the car park has sometimes been used by customers for other shops as an overflow, she said.
She added: “It’s making staff late in getting into work. From 3pm onwards, it’s mayhem out there.”
‘Something needs to be done before someone gets killed’
The petition can be found at www.change.org/p/kent-countycouncil-sevington-roundabout