Queensway Gateway Road in St Leonards. SUS-211214-121242001Queensway Gateway Road in St Leonards. SUS-211214-121242001
Queensway Gateway Road in St Leonards. SUS-211214-121242001

St Leonards Queensway Gateway Road: ‘Absolutely crazy’ - readers have their say

Residents have criticised plans on a proposed junction to connect the new Queensway Gateway Road to Sedlescombe Road North on the A21 in St Leonards.

Sea Change Sussex revealed its plans this week.

It has been working with East Sussex County Council and National Highways to design the junction, and believes it will improve traffic flow by opening the full extent of the Queensway Gateway (now officially named Whitworth Road).

As part of the proposals the junction will be widened to create two unsignalised turn lanes for traffic heading north from Queensway Gateway onto the A21, and for northbound A21 vehicles heading west onto Queensway Gateway.

It will also incorporate a signalised turn lane for southbound A21 traffic heading west down Queensway Gateway and for Queensway Gateway traffic turning right to head southbound down the A21 towards Hastings.

Sea Change said the new junction will alleviate issues with southbound A21 traffic turning west into Junction Road and obstructing traffic heading into Hastings by providing a separate turn lane into Queensway Gateway for westbound vehicles. It also believes congestion on The Ridge will be alleviated as vehicles travelling between Bexhill and the A21 will use Queensway Gateway instead. Junction Road will be closed to prevent eastbound congestion on The Ridge as vehicles that currently queue to turn into Junction Road will be diverted along Queensway Gateway, Sea Change said.

However, many readers on the Observer’s Facebook page have criticised the plans.

Scott Taylor said: “This will cause tailbacks as far as Sedlescombe. It’s bad enough waiting for individual cars to turn right ad-hoc. let alone having a hard forced stop period, due to traffic lights.

“It should be a roundabout with an A21 southbound priority/filter lane that bypasses the need to stop at the roundabout.

“A21 southbound vehicles should not be having to give way to any vehicle entering from a minor road.”

Allan Ball said: “Do these people drive or even live in the area? Just stick in a roundabout and leave the access to The Ridge open. Traffic lights are the last thing we need. Have they not seen the tailbacks on the A21 southbound, when somebody wants to turn into Junction Road?”

Malcolm Foster said: “There needs to be a filter road opposite the junction to Dunelm Mill & Pets at Home because the traffic will back up there as well. Absolutely crazy.”

Jenny Baker said: “Not sure the two give-ways make sense, particularly the left turn onto the A21 as I’d expect that to be one of the busier movements. The right turn lane on the A21 also looks problematic - width looks insufficient and it won’t take much of a queue to block the southbound ahead lane.

“Whole thing is located too close to the existing overbridge to allow for enough right turn queuing space. I’d be interested in seeing the capacity modelling for this.”

Dean Fisher said: “Junction Road one-way system is the wrong way round. It should be Maplehurst Road one-way system to get onto the A21 and Junction Road one-way to get onto The Ridge. This way reduces traffic waiting for cars to turn down Junction Road so traffic on The Ridge can keep moving.”

Steve Wallis said: “Harrow Lane and Maplehurst Road will become gridlocked unless they have further plans. I can only see anyone wanting to access the A21 from The Ridge East going down Harrow Lane.”

Construction of the new junction will take eight weeks.

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