Council bosses are planning four major new roads in an ambitious effort to relieve Canterbury of its horrendous traffic troubles.

They are targeting four of the most congested routes in a bold move which aims to end the headache of gridlocked streets and dirty air.

In what amounts to the most significant changes to the city’s road network since the 1970s, the four new routes will be:

- A link road from the A257 at Littlebourne Road to the A28 Military Road through the Howe Barracks site;

- A new junction on the A2 with roads connecting the New Dover Road and its park and ride to the Nackington Road, with a link for buses to South Canterbury Road;
- A link road off Sturry Hill to Broad Oak Road and Sturry Road with a bridge over the railway line;
- A slip road off the coastbound A2 at Wincheap and new road through the Wincheap Industrial Estate, coming out on the A28 next to the Maiden’s Head pub.

Canterbury City Council revealed the plans when it announced its transportation strategy for the next 17 years.

The total cost of the transport plans is £53 million.

Click on the link here to see a map of Canterbury's planned new roads

Each one is linked to development plans outlined in the council’s draft Local Plan and will be created by developers behind home and business schemes.

Chief executive Colin Carmichael said: “Each of these roads will happen.

"If, as developers want, you build 400 homes on the site of Howe Barracks, then you are going to have put in a link road.”

The aim of the new roads is to take the strain off Sturry Road and Military Road to the east of the city centre, and New Dover Road and Wincheap to the south.

Council leader John Gilbey said: “These are the most significant changes to the road network since the A2 by-pass was built in the 1970s.

"Since the 1970s nothing much has been done to Canterbury roads and we have reached a crisis point where this has got to be done" - Council leader John Gilbey

"Since the 1970s nothing much has been done to Canterbury roads and we have reached a crisis point where this has got to be done.

“The developers have been spoken to and they will fund and create the roads. That’s why we put this with the Local Plan – because it’s all got to hang together.”

The council has published the road plans alongside the second version of the draft Local Plan. Both go before the council’s overview committee at the Guildhall at 7pm on Wednesday, April 2.

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