RESIDENTS have vented their fury over a two-year major road closure after a nightmare landslip.
Disgruntled locals in Swanscombe, Kent, are fed up skirting around sections of the A226 on diversion routes after chaos struck in April 2023.
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Major works are needed on Galley Hill Road, but nearly two years after the collapse motorists are still being inconvenienced.
The disaster is believed to have been caused after a large 150mm mains pipe burst.
There are fears it could take up to three years to fix, although this has not been confirmed.
In a desperate bid to see repairs carried out, Kent County Council leader, Cllr Roger Gough, has urged Deputy PM Angela Rayner to take action.
A public meeting is also expected to take place tomorrow evening.
It comes as residents nearby continue to suffer from the fall-out or heavy traffic and commuter travel chaos.
One local even saw their fence smashed in when a “lost” HGV became wedged in a park where children play.
It is understood plans have been excepted but funds will need to come through from the government.
Cllr Thomas Mallon said KCC can’t afford to foot the entire bill.
“This closure is already having other effects further afield such as holding up development in Ebbsfleet,” he added.
“It is important that we get this fixed, not just for the businesses but all the residents have been affected by this.”
Plans to restore the road have been drawn up using insight from geotechnical experts and engineering consultants.
A council statement said: “We have kept [the] government briefed on the situation and accompanied successive ministers, including Lilian Greenwood, on visits to the site to witness the scale of the problem.
“[KCC leader] Roger Gough has written to Angela Rayner, Heidi Alexander and Darren Jones [government ministers] and is seeking a meeting to discuss funding to continue to progress the required remedial works to tender and construction.
“The letter stresses the strategic importance of the road to the highways network and delivery of housing developments in Dartford.”
Meanwhile, Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents’ Association’s (SGRA), revealed landowners permission close to the landslip had proved to be a “major stumbling block”.
Workers ‘left fearing for their lives’
Lancebox Ltd was seriously impacted by the landslip, in April 2023, with buildings and machinery damaged.
Employees are still fearful clocking in despite being told it’s still not safe.
While most staff members are now working from home, there are still those who have to go onto the site.
Company secretary Shelley Clarke said: “It’s constantly in the back of your mind. You are afraid every day you come to work that the rest of it is going to come down.
“It collapsed out of the blue last time. Who is to say it won’t happen out of the blue again?
“And it would land right on us. We’d be crushed.”
The secretary added how employees panic when bad weather causes “chunks” to fall down.
A letter from KCC advised everyone be evacuated from the property.
But the company say they are not allowed to leave until they’ve been served with a prohibition order.
“The insurance will not pay if we are seen to be leaving of our own accord. So we are just in limbo,” Mrs Clarke added.
A spokesperson said: “Whilst not defending the slow action of KCC the key to understanding the difficulties they were experiencing in starting stabilisation work and eventual repairs is a presumption in land ownership law called ‘ad medium filum’.
“This presumes that unless there is Land Registry evidence to the contrary the landowner who has the freehold of land bordering a public highway owns the subsoil underneath the highway up to the middle line of the highway.
“For historic highways such as the A226 this is nearly always the situation.”
The meeting is due to be be held this evening at 7pm.
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