It would have been a more direct route, but remember that from Sandgate to Folkestone without ascending the hill out of Sandgate would require it to extend along the base of the Lees Cliffe (where the old toll road was). This portion of land is geologically very unstable and though Victorian train engineers could have dealt with that it would have caused a continual problem throughout its lifetime. Also worth noting that prior to the mid eighteenth century this strip of land never existed with the sea washing against the base of the Lees Cliffe. It was not until a major landslide forming a new tumbled foreshore that the then Lord Radnor, who owned the land, created the toll road as an easier way of getting from Sandgate to Folkestone without climbing the hill out of Sandgate. This would have been a major improvement especially for the horses pulling heavily goods laden carts. I'm sure the horses were very grateful!
