Temporary Road works last over three years

Temporary road works that were initially set to last six months are still in full progress three years later in Joydens Wood, causing continual delays and disruption to the locals.

Joydens Wood, situated just on the outskirts of Dartford, has been interrupted by the temporary roads works for the last three years due to a number of technical faults which has left the residents very frustrated.

Work started in the area when there was a slight problem with underground pipe lines back in the spring of 2008 which resulted in a three way temporary traffic light system being put in to place, this was set to be completed within six months. However, when the support that was sustaining the heavy machinery that was being used to drill down to the pipe lines gave way, further damage was caused meaning further disruptions of around three months.

Once this problem had been amended, the attention of the Government then turned to the underground pipe lines that were situated some 200 yards from where the original site was, this job was set to take another eight months, taking the total disruption time up to 15 months of ‘temporary’ traffic lights. Some two years later and the road works are still in full use. Currently they are situated about 300 yards down the road to where the work had original started, Dartford Road, the main road connecting the A2, Dartford and Bexley Village which has left local residents very frustrated.


Ron Bridgeman, team manager of the southern area road works, has stood by the the councils decision to continue on the road works surrounding the Joydens Wood area believing that it is a matter of health and safety over convenience.

"It may seem like a huge distruption to local residents but when working on underground gas pipes it is not a matter that can be ignored.

"We are replacing the old out dated parts and replacing them with a newer, safer, pipe line system. The work that we are doing is about health and safety and can't be ignored for the sake of convenience."

Natalie Reynolds lives in Joydens Wood and has described the situation as ‘a nightmare’. “It’s a complete joke, if I have to be somewhere, I will now leave at least ten minutes early just because you have no idea how long you are going to be stuck in traffic for. The other day, I missed my train because the lights weren’t working, no one knew what to do, it took me 25 minutes to travel all of 100m.”

Tom Curnick, another resident who has faced the brunt of the road works more than most agrees with Mrs. Reynolds.

“To be honest, at first I didn’t even notice them, but once they move on to the main road the inconvenience was unreal. As you can see the road works are quite literally, on my front door, and it’s such a pain. “To make matters worse, they start work ridiculously early so I’m wide awake, every morning first thing even though I sometimes work late.

“If you want to get anywhere round here around rush hour, you best think again, it’s just a stand still.”


The red dots on the map (above) indicate the areas which have been distrubed by temporary road works since 2008.




Click on the link below to see the congestion and disruptions caused to local residents.