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New Bypass
A21 Lamberhurst Bypass
Description of the new Bypass
The Bypass starts to the north of the village at the junction of the existing A21 and the A262, Goudhurst Road. The existing single carriageway A262 has been widened for a distance of 500 metres between this junction and that of the A262 and the B2162, Horsmonden Road, where a new roundabout has been constructed.
From the new roundabout the dual carriageway Bypass heads south in a gentle curve skirting the golf course to the east of the village, crossing the River Teise valley. The gradient of the Bypass falls sharply on the approach to the River where a new bridge has been constructed across a diverted section of the river.
After crossing the river the Bypass continues southwards passing under a new bridge, provided to maintain access to farm fields and a residential property at Pierce Barn, before rising up Spray Hill through a cutting up to 16 metres at its deepest. Through the cutting the Bypass is aligned to minimise the effect of a notch on the skyline when viewed from St Mary's Church and the village. Passing under the land bridge just beyond the crest of Spray Hill, the Bypass rejoins the existing A21 at a new roundabout some 200 metres south of the entrance to Scotney Castle.
New combined footways and cycleways have been provided alongside the widened section of the A262 and adjacent to both roundabouts. The numerous public footpaths that cross the river valley have been diverted under or over the new bridges and new paths have been constructed to link otherwise severed footpaths. The old A21 from its junction with the A262 to Grantham Hall Farm will be closed to traffic shortly after the Bypass is open and a new bridleway will be provided along this length.
| CONTRACT STATISTICS | |
|---|---|
| Length of scheme | Single carriageway - 0.7km (about ½ mile) Dual carriageway - 2.5km (about 1 ½ miles) |
| Excavated material | 331,718 m3 - (283,261m3 re-used in the works) |
| Volume of structural concrete | 2,917 m3 |
| Tonnage of steel reinforcement | 655 tonnes |
| Tonnage of structural steelwork | 12 tonnes |
| Area of carriageway surfacing | 59,000 m2 |
| Area of footpath / cycleway / bridleways | 2250 m2 |
| Number of trees to be planted | About 50,000 |
