Plans to install traffic lights at Kent’s busiest level crossing will only heighten congestion woes and cause endless frustration for motorists, argue unimpressed residents.

The county council wants to turn the snarled-up Sturry crossing into a signalised junction as part of its reworked scheme for a £30 million relief road.

The proposals for the bypass and traffic light system at the crossing are due to be determined by councillors in the coming months, following a shock rejection of the original designs back in March.

Should the scheme be given the go-ahead, the relief road will link Sturry Hill with the A28 via a new 0.9-mile stretch which takes drivers over the Stour on a viaduct.

Motorists will be able to decide whether to use the new bypass, or take the traditional route over Sturry’s railway crossing - where they will be met with a new traffic light system.

As part of the plans, the outbound bus stop at the foot of Sturry Hill will be moved to the other side of the level crossing.

The modifications are hoped to ease congestion in the village, and the bypass is seen as a pivotal development to cope with extra traffic from more than 1,000 homes which will be built nearby.

Planners foresee a 60% reduction in traffic in peak hours and say the “signalised pedestrian crossings provide improved and safer facilities offering good access to the train station”.

But Sturry and Broad Oak Action Group member David Wadmore, who argues the relief road will be a “white elephant”, is severely underwhelmed by the proposals.

“Introducing traffic lights to an already notorious bottleneck at the level crossing and complicating the movement of pedestrians immediately makes matters worse for local residents and motorists,” he said.

“There is no guarantee that the traffic lights will always be in sync with the crossing, and motorists’ frustrations are bound to hit the roof.

“There isn’t a lot of difference to the original plan and the changes with the traffic lights are not an improvement.

“As far as the residents of Sturry and Broad Oak are concerned, this is a very bad thing.”

One of the key reasons for the congestion at the level crossing is the fact the station’s platforms are too short, so the train tails back when stationary, blocking the road.

A long-running argument has been for the platforms to be extended, or for the front of the trains to stop further away from the crossing.

But the cost and time to carry out such changes are the main reasons why the options will not be explored.

KCC’s plans for the relief road and lights at the level crossing are set to be decided upon before September - the deadline set to access a government cashpot of £5.8 million to help fund the scheme.

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