Council U-turns on 'ridiculous' two-way road return

Kent County Council reversed its position following a strong objection from Canterbury City Council

A council has U-turned on plans that would have forced a major roadworks project to stop for up to seven weeks.

From 1 December to 5 January 2026, Kent County Council wanted to restore two-way traffic at Canterbury's Westgate Towers, where a new continental-style square is being created as part of a £1.5m levelling-up scheme.

With the route currently reduced to one-way to allow pavements and street surfaces to be replaced, the move would have forced workers to down tools, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The council said it was standard practice to restrict "non-urgent works that impact traffic on key routes into city and town centres during December", to protect Christmas trading.

But the council has reversed its position following a strong objection from Canterbury City Council (CCC).

It warned the forced removal of the one-way system would push the scheme back by weeks and jeopardise its completion before the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury in March.

"We have asked to be allowed to continue working up to 19 December, resume on 5 January and not be required to remove the one-way system during the Christmas holiday period," a CCC spokesperson said.

Kent County Council said its December restrictions had "been in place for many years" and were designed to "minimise disruption at a time when traffic to retail areas is at its peak, supporting local businesses during the vital festive trading period".

But it has granted an exemption for the Westgate Towers project, which started in April.

Council Charlotte Cornell, from CCC, said it was a "victory for common sense" that "KCC have reverse-ferreted about their ridiculous 'festive' pausing of the Westgate works".