There are fears that someone could be seriously injured or killed after the road markings were changed at one of Dover’s busiest roundabouts.

The layout has been altered on the approach to the Limekiln roundabout on the A20 for motorists heading towards Folkestone.

Thousands of vehicles use the roundabout every day, as traffic heads from the docks and out of Dover.

In the past, traffic in the left lane coming from Snargate Street could go into Elizabeth Street, take the next turning towards the cruise terminals and the freight clearance facility, or continue onto the A20. Traffic in the right lane would normally go into the right lane of the A20.

Now, traffic emerging from the left lane – although it is marked Freight Clearance and A20 – finds itself in a lane which only goes to Elizabeth Street or onto the viaduct towards the cruise terminal and the freight area.

Drivers wanting to continue on the A20 have to cut across one of the other two lanes that have been created on the roundabout, which can contain vehicles which have emerged from the right lane, marked A20, onto the roundabout. Motorists in that lane frequently have to brake as lorries move across towards them.

Some foreign drivers who follow the left lane marking have found themselves heading towards the cruise terminal when they wanted to take the A20. That has led to more dangerous situation as they have tried to reverse back onto the roundabout and turn right.

One eye-witness who had seen some near-misses said: “It is a very dangerous situation. It only takes one lorry driver to cut across when there are two cars on his right-hand side for there to be a pile-up. The occupants of those cars could be crushed.”

Roundabout changes