A256 road

The A256 is a major road running along the east coast of Kent between the Isle of Thanet and Dover. It is operated by Kent County Council as a primary route, and has seen investment in the past to connect traffic to the Port of Ramsgate, and to the Pfizer research centre in Sandwich.[1]

Route

The A256 begins on the edge of Broadstairs with the A255. Within Thanet, it runs through the Westwood retail park, Westwood Cross and Haine Road. It meets the A299 Thanet Way from Faversham at the Lord of the Manor junction, where it becomes a major road. From here, it heads south towards the former Richborough Power Station, Sandwich and Dover as a high quality road.[2]

History

A Roman road ran from Dover to Woodnesborough, in roughly the same direction as the modern A256, though on a different route.[3] It is not mentioned in the second century Antonine Itinerary, but this may simply have been as it was not an important route. The basic route of the modern road was recognised as a turnpike by the start of the 19th century.[4]

The Sandwich bypass opened in 1981; prior to this, the A256 ran over the Sandwich Toll Bridge and was a major source of local congestion.[5]

The A256 was outlined as a strategic corridor by Kent County Council in 1999.[6] At a board meeting the following year, two proposals ("East Kent Access" phases 1 and 2) were announced.[7] The first phase, implemented between 2003 and 2005, contained various junction improvements and upgrading single carriageway sections around Sandwich to dual carriageway.[6][8] Phase 2 was a major upgrade of the approach to Thanet and the largest highway project constructed by the council. It included a new dual carriageway bypassing Cliffsend and a new bridge over the Ashford to Ramsgate line.[9]

In 2015, dual carriageway sections of the A256 were identified as a possible relief for Operation Stack, which would queue Dover-bound freight vehicles along the road.[10]

References
  1. "Thanet Regeneration". Hansard. 17 July 1997. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  2. A28 & A256 Corridors – Existing Conditions Study (PDF) (Report). Amey. July 2018. p. 2. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  3. Codrington, Thomas (1905). Roman Roads in Britain. Early Britain (2nd ed.). London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. p. 47. OCLC 11366132.
  4. Heritage Strategy Appendix 1 :Theme 4.1 – Historic Roads, Routes and Lanes (PDF). Dover Borough Council (Report). Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  5. Sandwich Green Paper (PDF). Faversham Town Council (Report). June 2015. p. 4. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  6. "East Kent Access – East Kent Access – Phase 1C Phase 1C" (PDF). Kent County Council. 7 January 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  7. "East Kent Access" (PDF). Kent County Council. 8 September 2003. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  8. "East Kent Access – Phases 1 and Phase 2" (PDF). Kent County Council. 13 September 2005. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  9. "East Kent Access – Phase two". www.volkerfitzpatrick.co.uk.
  10. Port of Dover written evidence : Operation Stack (PDF). House of Commons transport Committee (Report). 16 October 2015. p. 4. Retrieved 10 February 2020.

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