Delays to opening the A256 Sandwich Bypass have been caused by yet another sewer burst.
At the end of last month surveys showed the crucial ‘geo-grid’ engineering on the embankment was intact and Kent County Council’s Highways department were expected to give the go-ahead for work to reopen the carriageway, which has been shut since December.
But a further issue has been identified on a second sewer pipe which takes wastewater flows from the Deal area – the two sewer pipes run in parallel underneath the same section of the road.
Southern Water say several bursts occurring so close together is unusual and the company is unsure why the pipes have failed, as they’re still within their usual lifespan. Chemical and structural analysis to understand what caused this is taking place.
This work has been given top priority and our engineers and specialist consultants worked right through the holiday season.
Additional tankers have been brought in to manage wastewater flows and protect the environment while workers carry out further repairs.
A Southern Water statement says: “Work is well underway to reinstate the #A256 road surface, and our crews are working longer hours to get things finished as quickly and safely as possible.
“We know there’s been some confusion around the length of time this work will take, but we’d like to reassure everyone our work on the A256 should be complete within the next few weeks.
“However, we do have other works going on in the nearby areas that will take a while longer to complete.
“We’re really sorry for the disruption the problems on the A256 continue to cause,
