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A2 Slip Roads Update

One of the key issues surrounding the local economy is the reconfiguration of the A2 slip roads at Canterbury. Provision of the A2 slip roads and regeneration of the area continue to be one of the City Council's top priorities.

On/off slip roads at the Wincheap, Harbledown and Bridge junctions (all of which currently have limited access) would lead to significant improvements in traffic flows in the city and would help to reduce congestion.

At the instigation of C4B in January 2004 Kent County Council, Canterbury City Council and C4B agreed in principle to contribute approximately one third each towards the projected £100,000 cost of initial study work for the slip roads.

As a very positive sign of their involvement in the project, the Highways Agency has recently joined the list of organisations contributing towards the cost of financing the design and survey work.

The aim was to bring forward by a number of years the vital study work and kick-start a project that everybody agrees is vital to Canterbury's future.

As agreed, Kent County Council initiated the complex process in April 2004 and established a steering group to oversee the project. Represented on the group are Kent County Council, the City Council, C4B, the Government Office of the South East, the Highways Agency, the South East England Development Agency and engineering consultancy firm Jacobs Babtie.

Work is now underway on the traffic study at all three of Canterbury's A2 junctions. Traffic counts and surveys have already been undertaken and design work is in progress on how the three junctions could be remodelled. We anticipate that this work will lead to the new slip roads being developed during the coming years although no timescale is currently available. They would also help by providing the capacity for measures to encourage alternatives to travel by car.

The primary objective of raising the awareness of this very important project has been achieved, particularly with the organisations that have the power and influence to make it happen. C4B is aware that nothing will disguise the difficulties that lie ahead. However simple the project may appear, an analysis of the details shows it to be exceedingly complex.

For this reason, C4B was very keen for the study work to be undertaken. The results of the study have provided the factual information required for the authorities to take the necessary decisions. Everyone's efforts may now be directed towards encouraging those responsible for financing this project to ensure Canterbury's A2 slip roads appear at the very top of every necessary agenda.