Roadworks FAQ
Why does Ebbsfleet Lane need to be closed during the works programme?
Will there be access for pedestrians/cyclists out of the Ebbsfleet Lane junction across the Sandwich/Ramsgate Road during the road closure?
Could some of the works not have been undertaken during the quieter summer holiday period to minimise the disruption to the road users?
Why can’t the verge or cycle way be used to accommodate the new cable, instead of digging up the carriageway?
Could the cabling be brought up the River Stour, through the Cut under the A256 and continued up the Stour and into the new substation from behind the Power Station to avoid traffic disruption?
What provision is being made for emergency service vehicles?
Why can’t two road lanes be maintained for the duration of the works?
Can traffic be filtered into a single lane on the approach to the roundabout at Richborough?
Why is this scheme not being undertaken at the same time as the works for the East Kent Access Road?
Can the section of carriageway between the Richborough Roundabout and Ebbsfleet Lane not be widened to accommodate 2-way traffic for the duration of works at this location?
What measures are being put in place for future works to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum?
Can I contact the project for more information?
Why does Ebbsfleet Lane need to be closed during the works programme?
Ebbsfleet lane will only be closed whilst the works are undertaken in the vicinity of Ebbsfleet Lane that is for 3 or 4 weekends and not the whole duration of the works. Accommodating vehicles turning into, or out of, Ebbsfleet Lane would ultimately lead to longer journey times. This would be the result of traffic queuing behind traffic turning into Ebbsfleet Lane or from the longer traffic light changing sequence to allow this junction to be incorporated.
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Will there be access for pedestrians/cyclists out of the Ebbsfleet Lane junction across the Sandwich/Ramsgate Road during the road closure?
Ebbsfleet Lane will be closed to traffic as it will be necessary to excavate across the junction with Ramsgate/Sandwich Road. However access for pedestrians and cyclists will be maintained.
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Could some of the works not have been undertaken during the quieter summer holiday period to minimise the disruption to the road users?
Thanet Offshore Wind has recognised that in order to minimise local disruption to the road network that weekend working is required. This has resulted in the programme of work being extended from February to December 2009.
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Why can’t the verge or cycle way be used to accommodate the new cable, instead of digging up the carriageway?
The verges, ditches and cycle way have been considered for the cable route. Various reasons including environmental issues, archaeological issues and working width constraints prevented this being used.
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Could the cabling be brought up the River Stour, through the Cut under the A256 and continued up the Stour and into the new substation from behind the Power Station to avoid traffic disruption?
The route into the Stour presented both inshore and offshore environmental and geological issues making this route unsuitable for the cables.
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What provision is being made for emergency service vehicles?
The emergency services have been consulted in the planning of the works, and procedures developed to allow the speedy passage of emergency vehicles through the temporary traffic lights. During the day, the traffic lights will be manually controlled and the operators have received specific instructions as to the action to be taken as an emergency vehicle approaches the roadworks.
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Why can’t two road lanes be maintained for the duration of the works?
The road is not wide enough to safely permit two road lanes to be maintained. As well as the physical working area itself, a further section of carriageway must be allocated for personnel safety.
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Can traffic be filtered into a single lane on the approach to the roundabout at Richborough?
As the works are now being undertaken only at the weekend, it is not thought that it will be necessary to restrict the approach to Richborough roundabout to a single lane. However the situation with queuing traffic will be monitored once works commence and a single lane restriction will be applied if required.
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Why is this scheme not being undertaken at the same time as the works for the East Kent Access Road?
There are a number of reasons why this would not be practical. Firstly, should both projects be undertaken at the same time then the disruption to both the A256 and up Ebbsfleet lane would be unacceptable to the local highways network.
Secondly, with major projects such as these there is no guarantee that the projects will actually be undertaken and the programmes are always reasonably dynamic as consents and funding issues are resolved.
Thanet Offshore Wind has been in close liaison with the developers of the East Kent Access Road scheme so as to ensure that where the two projects co-exist between Richborough and Ebbsfleet Lane that the newly laid cables will not interfere with the new highway.
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Can the section of carriageway between the Richborough Roundabout and Ebbsfleet Lane not be widened to accommodate 2-way traffic for the duration of works at this location?
It is not practical to widen the road sufficiently to allow 2-way traffic during the works. Work to widen the road would themselves cause delays and significantly increase the programme of works.
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What measures are being put in place for future works to ensure that disruption is kept to a minimum?
Thanet Offshore Wind has recognised that working in the highway during normal working hours has a substantial impact on traffic flows along the A256. Working outside normal working hours (evening/night-time) unfortunately does not provide sufficient time to excavate the road and reinstate in time for the following morning rush hour.It has therefore been agreed that the works will be undertaken at the weekends that is working continuously between 7:00pm on a Friday night until 6:00am on a Monday morning.
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Can I contact the project for more information?
Yes, please phone 07545 339 299 during normal working hours or check this web site which is updated regularly.
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We hope that this information answers the majority of concerns arising from these works, however if you have any further queries or require further information relating to these works, please contact the helpline on 07545 339 299.
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