Traffic islands installed and road markings painted where Queensway Gateway Road runs into Whitworth Road on its approach to the A21.

“Spring” completion for Queensway Gateway junction

Work continues on joining the Queensway Gateway Road to the A21 while vehicles travelling the main road where the junction is being constructed close to The Ridge continue to be inconvenienced. East Sussex Highways can give no more definite date for the completion of the project than “spring.” Nick Terdre provides an update.

Following a month or so from Christmas until 20 January when traffic was allowed to use both lanes of the A21, the single lane flow has been reinstated, causing at busy times lengthy tailbacks, not only on the A21 itself but also on the A28 where it feeds into the A21 just north of The Ridge bridge, as drivers join the queue waiting for their turn to get past the pinch-point.

The temporary traffic lights will remain in place until the completion of the project, and there will also be some overnight road closures in the coming weeks, East Sussex Highways says on its website.

The section where the new road joins Whitworth Road has now been tidied up and looks ready for action, with crossing islands installed in the middle and road markings painted.

In an update the highways agency told HOT:

“Work completed in January included new drainage and gully installations, kerbing works, traffic island and traffic signal ducting installations, as well as further investigatory inspections and ecology works. The significant works required on Whitworth Road have also been completed.

“In addition, repairs to sections of damaged drainage pipes within the work site and on the live traffic lane have been carried out by Southern Water.

“We are continuing to work with our delivery partners on options to accelerate construction of the next phase of the project, which involves the challenging diversion of a watermain pipe in the A21 embankment, and will provide more information to the local community as soon as we can.”

The works are now due to be complete in spring, but no more definite date is available.

“The Queensway Gateway Road is a large and complex infrastructure project, which we are committed to completing as soon as possible,” a spokesperson said.

“We appreciate the disruption caused by these essential works and thank residents and road users for their patience as we work to complete this key infrastructure scheme.”

Meanwhile residents can savour the prospect of HBC leader Cllr Julia Hilton and other Green councillors, whose party was prominent in opposing the road, joining forces with East Sussex County Council leader Keith Glazier, the road’s foremost supporter, to cut the ribbon and inaugurate it whenever it is finally ready.

View from Dunelm car park: the one-way traffic flow will remain in force until the project is completed, says East Sussex Highways.

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