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Traffic island extended on Ashford ring-road close to Lidl and Park Mall shopping centre

17:21, 16 November 2020

updated: 17:51, 16 November 2020

A traffic island in Ashford town centre has been extended in a bid to keep drivers on the correct side of the ring-road.

Kent County Council contractors were working in Somerset Road over the weekend close to the busy junction with Edinburgh Road.

The traffic island next to Kent Avenue has been extended. Pictures: Barry Goodwin
The traffic island next to Kent Avenue has been extended. Pictures: Barry Goodwin

A spokesman said the new kerbing has been laid to "encourage segregation of opposing traffic lanes on the approach to the traffic lights".

It has been installed at an unofficial but popular pedestrian crossing point between the Park Mall shopping centre and Kent Avenue.

In September, Somerset Road was reduced to just one lane as part of a controversial Covid-19 pop-up cycle lane trial.

But the scheme - which was initially set to last for up to 18 months - was scrapped after just one week.

Residents had described it as "downright dangerous" and two petitions were set up calling for the lanes to be removed.

KCC says it has carried out the work to "encourage segregation of opposing traffic lanes"
KCC says it has carried out the work to "encourage segregation of opposing traffic lanes"

Read more: All the latest news from Ashford

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