'Crumbling' busy Dartford road in ‘despair' two years after repairs

Yahoo

a day ago

A man living in Dartford is concerned over the worsening condition of a busy road, claiming it has been left 'crumbling' and riddled with cracks just two years after cost-cutting repair works were carried out.
In June 2023, a MailOnline article focussed on North Road in Dartford where Kent County Council were cutting costs regarding repairs by not replacing the top layer of tarmac.
The council confirmed it used a method known as 'concrete rehabilitation' to tackle repairs, which involves pulling up the existing tarmac layer to expose the road structure.
Workers then repair and seal the concrete, providing a road surface that the council says is suitable for traffic use.
Now, two years later, a resident has said the road is starting to crumble and looks like a 'patchwork quilt'.
Graham Somerville (pictured) said the road is in despair. (Image: Graham Somerville)
Graham Somerville, who has lived on North Road for 40 years, said: 'If they [the council] had done it properly the first time, we wouldn't be having all this aggravation.
'If it's happened there, it's going to keep happening - the road is in despair.'
According to Graham, a large sinkhole has recently appeared, alongside long cracks stretching across the surface.
Parts of the road are currently closed for repair, with buses being diverted and local traffic disrupted.
Parts of North Road are currently closed off (Image: Graham Somerville)
Graham told the News Shopper that residents believe the lack of a top layer of tarmac has left the road vulnerable to wear and tear - especially with heavier vehicles like buses now using it as a diversion route.
He explained: 'The buses have been diverted down North Road, and we think them going over the drains and not having the tarmac on the road, the cracks and holes in the road have appeared.
'Every other road in Dartford that has been repaired recently has all been given a nice topcoat of tarmac, and we're left with this - the road is crumbling.
'It's not right.'
A spokesperson for Kent County Council confirmed it is currently carrying out repairs to address damage caused by a recent void in the road, but said the issue is believed to be linked to a 'utility matter' and not the works carried out in 2023.
Works have been happening on North Road this week (Image: Graham Somerville)
Graham added that the exposed concrete surface looks old and believes it may even date back to when the houses were first built.
Graham said: 'All they've done is taken the top layer of tarmac off and the original concrete is probably when the houses were first built.
'It's one of the longest roads in Dartford and we get a lot of traffic as it's used as a cut-through - and now the road is starting to break up.'
The road is starting to crumble away. (Image: Graham Somerville)
In response to concerns, a Kent County Council spokesperson said: 'In 2023, North Road was treated using a specialist concrete rehabilitation method designed to extend the life of concrete roads, which are significantly more costly to maintain than asphalt.
'This approach repairs and seals the existing concrete surface, avoiding the need for a tarmac overlay which has historically failed on this road.'
'We are carrying out repairs to address the damage linked to the recent void in the road.
'This damage is suspected to be linked to a utility matter and not related to the works carried out in 2023.'