Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Yes our lovely new seafront roadway is down just a month or so and looking marvellous and what happens next..you've guessed it. Here comes Highway Services and digs it up again. To be fair and indeed to be accurate, they havent dug it up as yet but as you can see from the following pictures they cut through it late yesterday and this is how it stands right now..see pictures.
They did this similar cutting previously here below my window in a side road in the past five or six days and of course each time dug up the surface with a small mechanical digger.
The whole AWARD winning seafront is looking very good right now...we need it to stay that way..so a great shame about this. It's almost a sacrilege. Very painful.

Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
it seems mad to do this,if any work underground needs doing why dont they do it before they resurface it.we have got lots to learn from the continentals on how to do this.i will at this time put it down to bad planning and leave it at that.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
I can only guess Brian that something has come to light. Some fault somewhere or other. They started with a little hole at first, 60 yards north of the picture...but have been wriggling their way to the sea ever since. Great shame. I wonder does our local guru Mr Collor know.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
He does now, I have texted him the link to this thread.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 682- Registered: 19 Jan 2009
- Posts: 146
Thanks for the information guys - all a complete shock to me.
My comments and thoughts, if I posted them, would have Doverforum taken off line.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
All it is a joint somtimes you have to put them in.
Guest 663- Registered: 20 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,136
Oh gosh this is something that always seems to happen, they lay a nice new surface then somebody comes along and digs it all up again. Why oh why can then not sort that out before.

Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
Another example of council employees making decisions which I am sure they know full well will embarrass their political masters and enrage the voters to whom they are unaccountable. I find this lack of joined-up management in local authorities unutterably stupid. Someone in Kent Highways needs to be hung out to dry over this. It won't happen though, will it? The union wouldn't like it.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
I am sure there is a little devil somewhere that gets to hear about a newly surfaced road and jumps up and down with joy at the thought of spoiling it with holes and trenches

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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
For heavens sake how could this happen

Surely it has to be a brand new problem that just cropped up and the new road surface just had to be regretfully dismantled, if not then stupidity, inefficiency and gross negligence is the answer.I saw this myself yesterday and couldn't believe what I was seeing

The only way to stop this is not to put utills under the road use the pavement or verges as they do in Europe there roads last at lest 100 years wonce its been resurfaced
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
i was always led to believe that most other western european countries use better materials on their road surfacing.
though costly initially the savings over the years more than make up for it, plus there are a lot less road/lane closures.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
yes our continental cousins are more co-ordenated,if a road needs mending,all utillatys are notified and told to repair or renew before the new surface is laid down,
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
I suspect what they are doing is putting in expansion jointing as the lines they have cut sits over a join in the concrete roadbed underneath, if this is the case it can only be done after the tarmac has been laid and settled.
Perhaps we should have waited until Nigel reports back before we made some of the wilder assertions and aspersions above.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
The concrete under the tarmac would already have expansion joints, I did not think tarmac needed them as it is usually laid in one long stretch.
But what do I know.

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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 682- Registered: 19 Jan 2009
- Posts: 146
I went down yesterday lunchtime and had a look.
As Paul indicated, they have been doing some work in Druro Place between road gullies - from the untrained eye, me, it looks as if they are now working on two gullies as can be seen in Paul's photo but for some reason have now carved across Marine Parade. A number of gullies in this and other ares have, as we know, been causing problems for some time through being blocked.
The resurfacing cost just under £40k and was only finished on 14th April so very discruntalled person, me again, has just sent an Email to Kent Highways asking what exactly is going on.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Well done Nigel.
Roger
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Yes, well done Nigel

Please keep us posted

Guest 682- Registered: 19 Jan 2009
- Posts: 146
I've received three replies from Kent Highway managers during yesterday.
Kent Highways issue 'Permits' allowing utility companies and other contractors to carry out road works that includes a number of conditions such as the time taken, extent of works, etc.
The permit number shown on the signs on site refer to drainage gully works in Druro Place as thought but it appears that they have found some unforseen problems.
Work has naturally stopped for the Bank Holiday but KHS have now requested that work will not recommence until the appropriate manager has discussed the incident in full with all concerned. This will be done first thing on Tuesday morning so as not to delay completion or cause an further disruption.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Nigel on the case...
Picture from the ColetteB collection
Taken before our new road was put in place. It is such a disappointment..the new road was pristine and not yet down a wet day. Very sad..Nigel is "seething".