Drivers express anger over delays to starting work on major Hastings road project

Traffic control measures for the long-delayed Queensway Gateway building project in St Leonards started on Monday September 2, with motorists facing long delays on their morning journey to work and problems for parents dropping their children off to school on the first day of term.

The work has affected businesses on Sedlescombe Road North, including Sainsburys, Dun Elm and Pets At Home.

Hastings resident David Pearce contacted the Observer to say: “I have just walked along to the closed roads around the A21 under the bridge carrying The Ridge and on the intersection slip roads, which has been causing traffic chaos in Hastings starting nearly two working weeks ago. Thought I would go see what they have done and the answer is nothing. There are some robust barriers, a few men sitting around in vans in case anyone tries to use the roads, playing with their phones, but no sign of any actual construction work. A footpath back from the A21 So what has been done to justify the first two weeks closure and chaos? It just looks like they had a date to start so they set up the diversions, but were not ready to do any work.”

A spokespersons for Vets 4 Pets, based in Pets At Home, said: “We have had people delayed for early morning and late afternoon appointments due to the traffic. It’s bad in rush-hours but not too bad during the day.”

East Sussex County Council says the final section of the Queensway Gateway Road will link it with the A21 Sedlescombe Road North via Whitworth Road, which will improve connectivity between Bexhill and Hastings and improve traffic flow in the area.

The works are expected to be completed by December 31 this year.

The road was originally slated for completion in November 2016, but has been beset by a series of delays at various stages. The only stretch of the road which has yet to be completed is its final connection to the A21.

A county council spokesperson said: “Junction Road will be permanently closed to road traffic and turned into a public right of way and cycle path. By transforming this road into a right of way it is intended this will help alleviate the congestion along The Ridge, particularly around the entrance of Junction Road.

“In addition, the two sections of Whitworth Road will be connected, enabling traffic to travel directly from Queensway to the A21 Sedlescombe North. Works will also involve major improvements to the A21 Sedlescombe North, with new traffic signals being installed and to improve both turns into the A21.”

Commenting on the latest situation with the work. A county council spokesperson said: “We can assure residents that work is being carried out on the Queensway Gateway road. As with any scheme of this scale, there is a lot of preparation work that needs to take place before the more visible work begins, and this can only be done safely with traffic management in place.

“Work carried out over the past two weeks, both during the day and overnight, includes drainage surveys and repairs, ecological surveys and lining, as well as work on traffic signals, street lighting and signposts.

“We appreciate the frustration that diversions and delays can cause and we apologise for the inconvenience. We are monitoring traffic flow using live data. This allows us to adapt temporary traffic signal timings to minimise waiting times.”

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