Kent News - Work to make Ashford ring road two-way

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Friday, September 3 2010, 6:45

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Work to make Ashford ring road two-way

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Paul Clokie and Paul Carter

Ashford ring road will be converted to two-way traffic flow over the next 15 months.

Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter and Ashford Borough Council Leader Paul Clokie symbolically dug the first turf of the works at a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday.

Mr Carter and other KCC Cabinet Members toured the growth town’s development sites during a fact-finding visit hosted by Ashford’s Future.

Leaders of KCC and Ashford Borough Council pledged afterwards to continue to work together for the town’s benefit as part of the Ashford’s Future partnership.

The ring road will undergo a complete change with traffic speeds being reduced to 20mph or less and the road narrowed. The aim is to reunite the town centre with surrounding neighbourhoods.

In addition, a new town square will be created at the bottom of Bank Street and a small park will be set up in the West Street area.

Cllr Carter said: “This innovative road scheme is a national first for the county council. It will remove the concrete collar which has strangled the town centre in the past.

“Working in partnership with the borough council and Ashford’s Future, we are taking the first visible steps to transform and extend the town centre into a place where people can feel welcome and comfortable.”

Ashford Council Leader Paul Clokie said: “We are delighted to see work on this transformational scheme start. The scheme will open up the town centre, stimulate growth for new businesses and make Ashford a more attractive place for residents, businesses and visitors alike.”

Over the next six months preliminary works will be carried out at junctions on Station Road before the switchover to two-way traffic.

The main contract work for Elwick Street, Bank Street and the new West Street park will start in July.

POSTED: 08/01/2007 15:16:03

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