Asda has agreed to participate in the North Farm Road Scheme, ahead of Greg's meeting with the supermarket's Chief Executive.
Greg commented:
"I welcome this change of heart from Asda in advance of my meeting with the supermarket's Chief Executive next week. It will be a big relief to everyone who has been caught up in the nightmare traffic of North Farm. It means that the planned road improvements to North Farm can now go ahead in their entirety, including widening the road and providing a cycle path through the estate. Work should now be underway within months."
Greg had secured a meeting with the Chief Executive of Asda, Andy Clarke, to ask them to relent on their refusal to release a small amount of land and so cause the loss of a new cycleway through North Farm. Asda was the only company that has not yet agreed to provide land - essential for the road widening – which would have compromised the scheme.
In March this year, the Department for Transport announced that it would provide £3.5m funding towards a £5m scheme to improve the road system on the North Farm Industrial Estate. Kent County Council (KCC) agreed to contribute £1.5m towards the project.
In order to qualify for the funding, the scheme must be completed by March 2015 and relies on landowners agreeing to release a few metres of land. Every landowner has now agreed to participate in the project.
The proposed scheme aims to improve existing highway capacity by:
- widening Longfield Road between Dowding Way Roundabout and the A21 Roundabout
- introducing a new roundabout at Kingstanding Way/Longfield Road junction
- introducing a new roundabout to replace T-junction at Knights Park /Longfield Road junction
- providing a gyratory style junction at Great Lodge/Longfield Road junction
