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A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Dualling
A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Dualling
- Status
- Planned
- Located in
- Area 4
- Scheme type
- Programme of Major Schemes
The Project
Please note that the Targetted Programme of Improvement is now known as the Programme of Major Schemes.
In his announcement on the Access to Hastings Multi-modal Study made on 12 July 2001 the Secretary of State for Transport accepted the need for upgrading the heavily congested section of the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury.
The A21 links the Hastings/Bexhill and Tonbridge Wells/Tonbridge conurbations to the M25 and the trunk road network. Between the M25 and Tonbridge the A21 is a dual 2-lane carriageway standard with grade separated junctions, limited access and no central reserve gaps. Between Tonbridge and Pembury the standard drops immediately to single carriageway with poor horizontal and vertical alignment. This section of the A21 has a poor accident record and experiences severe congestion throughout the day and particularly at peak times. There are no footways on this section and verges are either very narrow or non-existent.
The A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury passes through a very environmentally sensitive area with landscape, cultural heritage, ecological and settlement issues being key constraints to route improvements. Almost the entire route is within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and being an historic route, largely follows the landform.
Following a public consultation exercise at the end of 2002, the Secretary of State announced the preferred route for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Dualling in July 2003 and the scheme entered the Government’s programme of major schemes. The 2004 Government Spending Review identified the A21 as a Category 2 (regional) trunk road and in October 2005 the South East England Regional Assembly’s Regional Transport Board, in its advice on transport investment priorities for the next five years, included the scheme for a start of works in 2010/11.
The proposed improvement broadly follows the line of the existing A21 and will be to dual 2-lane carriageway standard with grade separated junctions at the Fairthorne and Longfield Road Junctions at the south end of the scheme. Segregated access roads will be provided to give access to the existing properties along this section of the A21, with the provision of a separate footpath/cycle way throughout the length of the scheme.
The tender process for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Dualling and the Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Improvement began with invitations to tender in March 2007. These were returned in early July 2007 and assessment was completed in September 2007.
What Happens Next
In July 2006 the Secretary of State for Transport accepted the recommendations of the South East Regional Transport Board on prioritisation of transport infrastructure projects in the region. With rising construction costs, reviews have been undertaken on all our major schemes and advice is awaited from the Regional Transport Board and Ministers on project prioritisation. An announcement is expected in July. A decision on award of contract for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury and the A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst schemes will take account of this advice.
