A £100,000 piece of public art has caused part of Ashford’s ring road project to fall behind by four months.

The Flume is a wavy line guiding visitors from Ashford International station to the town centre.

But delays in receiving materials for the art work have set back this part of the scheme.

The hold-up was revealed as part of a progress report on the contentious ring road project to Ashford council’s joint transportation board.

Jamie Watson, project manager for Kent County Council, said in a report: “Delays in receiving The Flume materials have caused considerable programme issues for the project with this element of the project running some four months behind the original project completion date.”

The report also said that the County Square external works had affected the Bank Street works construction since December.

The delays in removing the hoardings and allowing access for this work will affect the Elwick Road contract, with delays in completion and resulting in increased costs.

Phase 1 of the ring road project is estimated to cost £15.64million.

The scheme is to turn the A292 into a series of two-way streets but the project has been dogged with controversy over traffic delays and the effect on traders’ businesses.

Cllr Michael Claughton told the board meeting: “To quote an old British Rail phrase, we’re getting there and slowly but surely though it’s not easy to convince the public of Ashford.”

The board agreed to note the progress and continue to support the alterations.

Full story in this week's Kentish Express