Page 1 - The Lyminge Newsletter - August 2022

ROADWORKS POSTPONED

THE LYMINGE

NEWSLETTER

- SEE PAGE 2

For the communities of LYMINGE, ETCHINGHILL, RHODES MINNIS and POSTLING
Produced by
August 2022 THE LYMINGE ASSOCIATION
www.lyminge.org.uk
From The Lyminge Association

Temporary Road Closure at Broad Street, Lyminge

blocking the road to Folkestone for 42 days - 25 July to 4 September

This is the most current information as we go to press (25 July) by Lynne Collis.

The works planned for this development include the following:
the sewer connection which requires a 3m deep excavation, connection to the
fresh water supply, installation of the highway drainage system, the construction
of a new junction with dropped kerbs and tactile paving; the resurfacing and high
friction coating, change of speed limit from de-restricted (60mph) to 30 mph, with
associated signage, roundels, dragons’ teeth and red surfacing to indicate the
change, construction of new gateway into the village, involving signage on both
sides of the road.

Lyminge residents, the Parish Council and members of the Residents Protest Group have been working hard to try to stop the Pentland Homes
six-week road closure which started on 25 July. Over 1000 local residents and supporters have signed a petition organised by Mark Barrett for
the works to be stopped.
With access to the village already so difficult because of queues of holiday makers, this is no time to cut our main road in and out of the village.
Kent Fire and Rescue have already contacted us, and are considering double attendance (ie one fire engine from Canterbury as well as one
from Folkestone), during the closure, to reduce the risks to residents. The protest group has been in contact with legal advisors and are seeking
a stop order from KCC.
The reasons for opposing the closure are principally:
1. That neither Portland Homes nor Kent County Council have made adequate assessment of the risks to the villagers. Pentland Homes
have even admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Regulations in not assessing the risk to others affected by their works
(section 3 (1) b). Such a risk assessment would have identified control measures which could have reduced the impact on residents
and businesses.
2. That they have not considered other, less disruptive methods of doing the works, although several civil engineers amongst village
residents have proposed alternatives. These fell on deaf ears.
3. The diversion is not via a route of the same standard as the closed road. Longage Hill is a single-track road with passing places.
The risk of delayed access by emergency services puts all residents at unacceptable risk.
4. There appear to be irregularities in the process of granting permits for the works. The Temporary Closure Notice was granted to Walker
Construction UK Ltd; the works have apparently been taken over by Tony Kirwan Contractors Ltd. The name ‘Walker Construction’ has
been removed from the road closed signs, but there is now no contractor’s name to as the required contact.
The planned closure blocks the main road to Folkestone and Ashford for up to six weeks while Pentland Homes digs a trench for sewage works
associated with new build housing. The published diversion is twice the length of the closed route at 13.8 miles, via single track roads with
passing places, compared with the twin laned route of 6.5 miles.
The developer’s Build Director admitted in a recorded call to retired safety engineer and village resident, Lynne Collis, that Pentland
Homes had done no risk assessment of the risk to the community affected by the closure. This has been reported this to KCC and to
the local MP, Damian Collins. It is also a breach of the Safety at Streetworks and Road works Code of Practice 2013.
Lynne said, ‘There are many safety concerns for villagers, but the ones which pose the highest potential threat to life are the risks of delayed
access by the emergency services. They will only be able to get to Lyminge via single tracked roads with passing places. During a shorter
closure last year we saw many traffic jams. This year the fire engines and ambulances would be competing with harvest-time farm machinery
as well as other village traffic. KCC have also scheduled nightime closures of the M20 Junction 11 roundabout (part of the diversion route) and
have closed Loughborough Lane for roadworks at the same time.’
Many residents are concerned that the bus service to the village will be curtailed. We will have to walk to New Barn Corner for a shuttle bus to
Folkestone and to Sibton Park Gates for a shuttle to Canterbury. The walk is clearly beyond the encumbered or infirm but no shuttle bus through
the village has been provided. There will be no number 18 service to the village.
Folkestone and Hythe MP Damian Collins has been contacted by many residents. He wrote to Roger Gough, the leader of Kent County Council,
to ask that these plans are looked at again and a less disruptive solution found. Continued on P6
Editor: pbarnes20@icloud.com 1 Tel: 01303 863737