The proposed four-week, 24-hour closure of Appledore Road from 3 August to 30 August will have a significant impact on residents, local businesses and the wider community.
Appledore Road is a key route into and out of Tenterden and provides access to numerous independent businesses located along the road itself, including retail premises, pet and country store, car repair garages, garden centres and other local traders. A continuous four-week closure is likely to have a serious financial impact on these businesses, as many customers are unlikely to make lengthy diversion journeys and may instead take their custom elsewhere.
The closure will also have a major impact on residents living along Appledore Road and in the surrounding villages, who will be forced to make lengthy diversions simply to access Tenterden for work, shopping, healthcare and other everyday needs. This level of disruption will be repeated day after day for four weeks.
We fully recognise that these essential roadworks need to be carried out and that the safety of the workforce must come first. However, we believe that less disruptive alternatives, such as temporary traffic lights, single-lane working, phased works or night-time working, should be properly considered before implementing a continuous 24-hour road closure.
We therefore urge Kent County Council to reconsider the proposed closure and adopt the least disruptive method possible, protecting local businesses, residents and essential access while allowing the works to be completed safely.
This ePetition runs from 22/07/2026 to 31/07/2026.
1455 people have signed this ePetition.