Work starts on A252 between Charing and Chilham dubbed one of UK's most dangerous roads
06:00, 23 July 2020
A notorious stretch of road is to get a £2.1 million upgrade this summer and autumn.
Considered an accident blackspot, the A252 through Charing, Challock and Chilham is classed as one of the 50 most dangerous A-roads in the country.
But improvements including crash barriers, improved road markings and rumble strips on the edge of the road will now be installed after cash was secured by Kent County Council.
The authority has announced the revamp work will be complete by the end of September, with a number of temporary traffic lights in place while it is carried out.
The speed limit, except where lower limits are in force, will be reduced from 60mph to 50mph.
Work started at the Charing end of the A252 last week before focus shifts further eastwards.
Jill Leyland, chairman of Charing parish council, says she is in favour of the changes, which saw Charing Hill resurfaced last week.
"The disruption will be worthwhile as the changes should hopefully make this dangerous road much safer," she said.
"The only further enhancement we would like to see at the moment is a speed camera to catch the drivers who think it is fun to use Charing Hill as a race track.
"We are pleased KCC consulted us regularly as the plans were developed.
"We at the parish council have set up a highways improvement group of residents with an interest in roads and traffic and it is worth noting that a number of the improvements in the Charing stretch were originally suggested by the group."
The money for the improvements has come from the Department for Transport's (DfT) safer roads fund after the government invited proposals from highway authorities to improve A-roads.
KCC had hoped to receive £2.8m but bosses said the cash was still "great news" when the money was secured in July 2018.
It followed a string of serious and fatal crashes, including one in March 2017 that killed Chilham parish councillor Paul Hardisty near Dane Street, Chilham.
In 2014, Chris Hickmott, 68, died after her Fiat Panda hit a tree on the A252 at Chilham.
As part of the works, some of the key changes at the Charing end of the A252 include:
- Three pedestrian crossing islands around the hill and Pilgrims Way junctions to help pedestrians cross and help protect turning traffic
- The middle lane from the Charing Hill junction upwards will be hatched and coloured red with a continuous and an intermittent white line edging it on both sides - effectively suppressing it while allowing use in exceptional circumstances
- The 40mph limit will start from just below the hill junction
- The red hatching will continue, although narrower since the road is narrower, up to the Faversham Road junction. There will be a turning pocket by the Spice of Bengal to facilitate access for traffic travelling uphill.
Meanwhile, from Monday, the Ashford Road A251 will be closed at Badlesmere for up to 25 days for essential gas works.
As a result of the lengthy closure, highways bosses will implement 32-mile and 23-mile diversion routes for drivers heading north and south-bound - forcing them to loop around via the A252 and A2.
The work - carried out by SGN - will run through until August 20.
The route will be shut off 24 hours a day near to the Red Lion pub - with only local access being permitted.
SGN spokesman Waseem Hanif said: “We’ll be replacing our old metal gas mains and services with new plastic pipe.
"Our essential work will ensure the community receives a continued and reliable gas supply for many years to come.
“We understand this is a busy route, so will be working as quickly and safely as possible.
“All going well, we hope to complete this project in approximately four weeks.
“We’re working closely with the government and public health bodies to make sure we carry out our project in line with all current coronavirus safety guidance.”
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