Finally, a Road to Somewhere
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
Work to complete the Queensway Gateway link road is set to begin after a £2.5 million investment from the Government.
The infamous “road-to-nowhere” was supposed to have been opened in 2016 but the final section of the road to link it with the A21 Sedlescombe Road North via Whitworth Road was never completed, amid wranglings over land ownership, junction designs and funding.
With funding now in place, East Sussex CC’s contractors Balfour Beatty Living Places will start the works on Monday, 2 September. They expect to have the road open to traffic by the end of the year.
The works will inevitably cause major disruption in the area and all road users have been warned to expect road closures and delays. To limit the inconvenience, there will be some overnight work, and the contractors also plan to use noise reduction methods where possible.
The A21 Sedlescombe Road North will be closed from the entrance to Dunelm and the junction of the A28 Westfield Lane, between 8pm and 6am from 2-5 September and again from 18 November until 31 December. Temporary traffic lights will also be in place at the junction of Junction Road and the A21 Sedlescombe Road North 24 hours a day, whilst access to Maplehurst Road will be accessible for residents and emergency vehicles only.
Access to the A21 via Junction Road from the Ridge will also be unavailable. Junction Road will be closed permanently, and a new public right of way and cycle path will be created.
Council engineers say the major improvements to the A21 Sedlescombe Road North will improve traffic flow in the immediate area and lead to better connectivity between Bexhill and Hastings.
We hope you have enjoyed reading this article. The future of our volunteer led, non-profit publication would be far more secure with the aid of a small donation. You can also support local journalism by becoming a friend of HIP. It only takes a minute and we would be very grateful.
Although I have been aware of this project for years, I have only recently taken an interest in it. It seems to me that the new road will solve some problems but, in most cases will make no difference or, indeed, make traffic flow more complicated.
East Sussex County Council say that there will be “better connectivity between Bexhill and Hastings.” It would be more accurate to say better connectivity between Bexhill and the A21 to the north of Hastings.
Apart from that, the route between The Ridge and the A21 (both directions) will be more complicated. Instead of at present, traffic must negotiate two junctions there will be The Ridge / Queensway mini roundabout, the Queensway / Queensway Gateway roundabout, the Queensway Gateway / Whitworth Road roundabout and a new roundabout at the junction of Whitworth Road and the A21. Four roundabouts within about ½ a mile does not seem wise. I am thinking southbound drivers from The Ridge (hospital direction) will use Harrow Lane instead.
Why close Junction Road completely to traffic? Closing one road at the same time as opening one new road just means the traffic is moved from one place to another. Already The Ridge / Queensway junction gets congested. Leaving Junction Road open to left-turning traffic only would spread the load.
Indeed, David, it not only will, but actually is. I had been, until two months ago been driving sixth formers from FREWEN College, Northiam , to Bexhill College and back, four times a day, every day. Due to serious issues with her left ankle and another serious medical issue of my wife, I reduced my hours, now doing three runs a day, supposedly finishing at 3.15, was 17.45. Due to major congestion I do not finish until 15.30, but will only be paid until 15.15. Some mornings I have to pick up students from Battle Station, so they are getting in to Bexhill College late. This means that they are not allowed in to their first lesson