A21 works progressing well

Work to dual the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury is on course to be completed by the end of next year.

The £69.7 million scheme, which is being carried out by Balfour Beatty, will see a 2.5 mile section of the A21 upgraded from single to dual carriageway, adding a lane in each direction, upgrading junctions and improving the road layout.

Aerial photos released by Highways England show the progress that has been made and come at the same time as main construction work on the A21 is set to begin.

A temporary 40mph speed limit will be introduced ahead of main construction, with overnight carriageway closures in place on Sunday 7 June. Advance work started in late 2014 and now the grade II listed buildings removal and ancient woodland translocation is nearing completion.

Anne-Marie Palmer, Highways England project manager, said: “We are committed to providing the benefits of increased capacity, more reliable journeys and a safer route to the tens of thousands of drivers that use this stretch each day. We have been working hard behind the scenes getting ready for main construction and are still on target to complete the work by December 2016.

“We have been continuing the environmental advanced works to ensure that we carry out these improvements to the highest environmental standards. Grade II listed buildings on the line of the new road have now been substantially removed and the ancient woodland translocation is close to completion. This allows us to continue with main construction.”

As part of Highways England’s commitment to carrying out these improvements they have removed an old barn to be preserved, translocated nine hectares of ancient woodland to create 18 hectares and removed four grade II listed buildings on the line of the new road.