'Medway City Estate roadworks - delayed, more traffic misery, and over budget' say the Lib Dems

*image - by alan wells

Responding to the news that Medway City Estate roadworks in Strood are to cost an extra £353,000, rising the cost of the project to £2.6 million.

Medway Liberal Democrats say that this is yet another example of the council's financial incompetence and their failure to have a proper handle of projects of this sort. We are also disappointed that the project has been extended.

We welcome the roadworks being carried out, but better planning should have been considered. The completion date was for February, and the works should have been finished last month as originally expected. The ongoing delays will cause more transport misery and chaos for Frindsbury and Wainscott residents, causing unnecessary disruption.

Further delays are going to impact further on drivers, commuters and businesses to traffic coming off and onto the estate, as well as the Frindsbury Hill area, and traffic on the other side of the tunnel heading to St. Mary's Island and Gillingham during peak times.

Alan Wells, spokesperson for Medway Liberal Democrats said "Issues and supplies during construction should have been resolved at the start. This is yet another example of the council's incompetence and their failure to have a proper handling on projects of this sort. The council cannot just financially build itself out of congestion.

I have seen for myself, working in the Frindsbury area the knock on effect of the delays. The Strood-bound Medway Tunnel being reduced to one lane - causes daily traffic congestion with queues back to the junction where Asda is in Gillingham, and the peak time gridlock from the Estate and Sans Pariel roundabouts to the Frindsbury Hill/ Station Road junction & Four Elms Hill.

To further delay the roadworks is a fiasco, businesses lose trade and road users are facing nightmare journeys. Liberal Democrats will of course be keeping a close eye on the situation and keep up the pressure to ensure that the work is completed as quickly as possible, to minimise any further disruption.

It is vital that disruption is kept to a minimum, and that the council communicates with local residents who will be affected by the works."

ENDS