Frustrated business owners have blasted the county council’s “farcical idea” of asking firms to pay for improvements at a notorious junction.

KentOnline revealed earlier this month how cash-strapped chiefs at Kent County Council are considering asking businesses to fund new traffic lights at Barrey Road.

The junction – which leads to the Ashford Retail Park off the A2070 in Sevington – has been described by road campaigners as a death trap.

But Ashbury Furniture owner Nick Hanson, who has worked on the estate for 13 years, says firms should not be asked to pay for the improvements.

He said: “It is a farcical idea and is the wrong approach.

“During the planning process, they should have asked for contributions from developers then, and they can’t go back on it retrospectively. We are on the biggest retail park in Ashford and it has the worst possible access, which just doesn’t make sense.

“The John Lewis store on the other side of town has a brand new junction with traffic lights, but our one is unacceptable.”

The Kentish Express has regularly reported on readers’ safety concerns about the junction, which becomes congested as shoppers turn on to and off of the dual carriageway.

The traffic lights option was first revealed in June – three months after Highways England cut the speed limit around the junction to 40mph – and since then Highways England asked contractors Vinci and Taylor Woodrow to review the traffic light options.

They found it would cost £60,000 to install temporary lights for a year, while putting in permanent signals without changing the road layout would cost £187,000.

The third preferred option – to alter the road layout and put in permanent lights – would cost £270,000.

Contractors say the best option for putting permanent traffic signals in place will be at the same time as the junction 10a works, which are due to start next year if the M20 scheme is approved.

"I run a family business and there is no way I am stumping up any money..." - Nick Hanson

But Kent County Council admitted at a joint transportation board meeting earlier this month how it does not have the cash to pay for the lights – and could be forced to go cap in hand to business owners, asking them to help pay for it.

Project manager Andy Moreton said: “We are struggling to find the money to do the permanent works.

“We could get the begging bowls out with the business community and developers.”

Mr Hanson, 49, says the improvements should have been carried out years ago.

He said: “They have let so many new shops come in, but have done nothing about the junction.

“The retail park must generate so much wealth to the area, I can’t understand how the council has not got the money.

“I run a family business and there is no way I am stumping up any money – we already pay business rates and get nothing in return.”