KENT HIGHWAY SERVICES PRESENT 'THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND FLOODING?'

Grafton Road in Broadstairs has now received the 'full works' of not just filled pot-holes but a re-patching job; well done KCC Highway Services. That's the 'Good'.

The pictures above and below are of 'The BAD'. This fine specimen of a growing and deepening pot-hole is to be found in Park Road by the entrance into Dane Park. If the 'chicane' was not enough to contend with as you turn sharp left into Park Road, the car driver, motorcyclist and push-biker now have to negotiate round this pot-hole or fear losing control with potentially disastrous consequences.

You'll be pleased to know that whilst the crop of pot-holes deepen and widen around many of our busy roads in Thanet, Kent Highway Services are about to embark, on what one correspondent has described as a ' cosmetic exercise' on the 'Wimpey' estate (Silvers, Maples, Beech Drive, Birch Close etc) off Westwood Road in Broadstairs with a full surfacing job from 30 March to 17th April! I will have to get some pictures of these roads that are in such a state that they have priority over the 'pot-holes' all over Thanet.

The picture above explains why heavy rain events sometimes lead to localised flooding. It was taken last week-end by The Pavillion and Harpers Wine Bar in Broadstairs. This is just one of many silted-up, obstructed drains to storm/rainwater sewers all over Thanet. There are some excellent gardens growing out of drain gratings even in our water-catchment areas on The Shottendane and Manston Roads. No need to worry about oil-interceptors and cut off valves to protect our aquifer; with drains like these, contaminated water can just flow off the road into fields!

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Quite frankly it is an unacceptable situation that marks the apalling decline in provision of basic civil engineering maintenance by our Civic Authorities. KCC would be better off spending less on 'publicity magazines' and Kent TV, telling us what a good job it is doing and using the money properly by ensuring that basic road maintenance is carried out.

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It really needs TDC and KCC Councillors to walk their 'parish' and then get on with getting something done by KCC Highways/TDC for the worst problems of pot-holes, blocked drains and accumulations of litter that blight Thanet.