Part of Broadstairs Road in Broadstairs has been closed for emergency Southern Water works.
A tunnel that the sewer pipe runs inside has collapsed.
The tunnels were constructed more than a century ago by miners who excavated them through chalk and built the pipelines within them.
The damage is understood to be at some 4.2 metres depth and could take around two weeks to repair. The actual sewer pipe is intact.
Th closure runs from the area at St James’s Avenue towards the Edge End Road junction.
Dane Court and Charles Dickens schools have been notified of the disruption, although the impact for pupils and families is somewhat lessened by the upcoming May school holiday.
A diversion will be put in place.
A Southern Water Spokesman said: “We apologise for the traffic disruption this will cause but we must close a section of Broadstairs Road near Dane Court Grammar and Charles Dickens School. The closure may be in place for two weeks and a diversion put in place.
“During work by Kent County Council’s Highways Department a void was found and we discovered that one of the small tunnels which our sewers run through in Thanet has collapsed.
“We’ll be working as quickly as is safe and possible to dig down and make the tunnel safe. We will keep customers and stakeholders updated on our progress.”
Its all on its last legs. Now they are forced to fix.
Strange they have just started to resurface the Rd last time I went that way on Sunday
I remember as a 11-12 lady so that was around 1971-72 the same problem acurred on Park rd between Stone rd and the Easten Esplanade, a bomb had gone off in Ww2 from a Jerry bomber (cabbage crate).
I had got to know two Broadstair and St Peter Urban district council road workers, Norman & Sam from watching them work when they dug up the rd where I lived Callis Court Rd, so one evening Norman rode his bike to my house and told me after school the net day to come to Park rd as there was something I would enjoy looking at.
So the next afternoon I rode my bike down there and they had dug a shaft down about 40-50 feet in the road about where the entrance to Stone bay schools driveway is.
So they let me go down the hole and it was right on top of the tunnel heading of the sewer and went up the tunnel towards Stone rd you could see where the miners had used picks and shovels to dig it back in the day,
I remember there was a little ledge they had made and on it were two clay smoking pipes that were still there they let me have one and I took it home and showed my Mum and Dad they asked me where I got it and I told them I had just been down an old tunnel with Norman & Sam, that must have been fun they said.
The good old days no PPE or safety all there was a bit of chestnut fencing.
Those sewer tunnel headings are all over Broadstairs and Ramsgate.they would have an enquiry about be going down there today.
But imm 66 years old so it couldn’t be that dangerous 🤣
P,S. Sam lived in a little cottage at Permont Park his Wife made Exceedingly good cake.
Norman sadly passed away a good few years ago. But he knew everyone in St Peters and Broadstairs and was a good family friend. He went absolutely everywhere on his bicycle.
I meant to say Lad instead of Lady at the beginning of my story, but nice to know you remeberd Norman great guy, he and Sam helped with the Gymkarnaset up at St Peters Rec, Dickens week at Peidmont park I must have followed them all over town Happy days.