'We just want better planning' - residents’ frustration over roadworks in Medway

When Medway Lib Dems spoke to many residents across Medway one of the most talked-about topics was the chaos caused by local roadworks. We launched a resident survey to see the scope of the problem and saw the results echo the frustration and disappointment heard on the doorstep.

74% of responders said that they a faced a huge amount of disruption due to roadwork congestion and 80% said that this disruption lasted more than a week. Clearly the roadworks are massive impacting people’s lives, affecting work journeys as well as customers trying to use local shops and businesses. The extra congestion would have also increased the amount of air pollution in already dangerous areas.

Residents’ opinion of Medway Council’s organisation of the roadworks was very low, with 84% rating council performance as ‘very bad’. 75% also say they are not given enough notice of any planned roadworks, with 72% rating the council’s communication of future roadworks as ‘very bad’.

Complaints on the doorstep interviews are similar: ‘More planning between different groups to reduce works happening all at the same time and leaving hardly any way of getting around’ and ‘Just some basic forward planning. Don’t put roadworks on the 2 main roads through the town at the same time.’ It’s perfectly summed by one resident - Martin, ‘We just want better planning’.

Nicholas Chan, Lib Dem campaigner for Rainham North says, ‘The chaos caused by simultaneous roadworks has been a particular problem here in Rainham. The major routes all have roadworks on them, apparently with little thought to the congestion it will cause. This was particularly bad recently when we had roadworks on the A2, Berengrave Lane and the Lower Rainham road. The people of Rainham deserve better from their council’s highway department. Medway deserves a road network free of congestion and chaos.’

The Medway Lib Dems are calling on Medway Council and its Conservative administration to get a handle of their highway department. They need to better organise the roadworks that occur in Medway to ensure that multiple routes are not all closed at the same time, and they need to find better ways to ensure all residents are promptly informed of future disruption. Medway deserves a road network free of congestion and chaos.

ENDS