Work in Knightrider Street has progressed well and is on time.
Traffic flows have been acceptable around the diversion route.
Problems with traffic entering the closure via side streets have largely disappeared since we put out more signs to reinforce the message that there is no through route.
The lane closure in Mill Street doesn’t appear to have had any serious effect on traffic flows.

However:
We have hit a problem with the crossing of Lower Stone Street, (Knightrider Street to Mote Road). Plans to tunnel under the junction have been abandoned due to unstable ground conditions at the depth required to avoid the sewers. The ground at this depth was found to be running sand and it is neither practical nor safe to tunnel through this type of material without very time consuming and expensive special measures to stabilise the material to be excavated.
This is disappointing and a serious setback.
We now need to revert to the option of inserting the new gas pipe inside the old one.
This method has consequences for traffic flows through the junction with Mote Road – we will need to reduce Lower Stone Street to one lane from after Romney Place and access to Mote Road will require realignment of traffic flows at different stages of the work  Kent County Council have been consulted at all stages.
Preparatory work is in hand and the workforce has been doubled to make up the lost time.
We expect the extra lane closures to be introduced in around two week’s time – but the changes will be made as soon as we are ready so as to avoid delay to the overall progress.
We will put out warning signs before the changes take effect to give local traffic the opportunity to find another route – the extra lane restrictions are expected to be in place for about 2 weeks.

If you have any specific enquiries about this project, please contact us on 01233 714082 during office hours (9am to 4pm) or 0845 070 1431 outside these times.