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An executive agency of the Department for Transport

A21Tonbridge to PemburyDualling

Newsletter No 4 September 2014

A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Improvement

Introduction

Welcome to the 4th issue of the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury newsletter. It has been some time since our last newsletter in 2009 but as we begin the construction phase of the scheme we will be issuing newsletters more regularly and hope you enjoy their varied content.

Scheme Description

The 3.5km Tonbridge to Pembury section of the A21 is currently a single 7.3m wide carriageway. There are no footways and verges are either very narrow or non-existent. This section carries about 35,200 vehicles a day, which is significantly higher than the capacity of a single carriageway.

The proposed scheme is a dual 2 lane carriageway broadly following the line of the existing A21 and has a bridleway, pedestrian and cycle route along the whole length of the scheme. A new separated junction will be provided at Fairthorne, approximately half way along the scheme, and the existing roundabout at Longfield Road will be changed to a separated junction. Parts of the existing A21 will be retained to provide access to residential and agricultural properties and businesses.

Update

A Public Inquiry into the scheme was held between May and July 2013 and in May this year we received the Inspector’s report recommending that the scheme should go ahead. Now that we have completed the statutory planning process we have appointed contractor Balfour Beatty to build the scheme.

In the coming weeks activity along the 3.5km section of the A21 between the Vauxhall Lane junction and Longfield Road roundabout will begin.

Main construction will begin in early 2015 and we are aiming to complete the work in December 2016.

Tonbridge

Pembury

Southborough

Castle Hill Farm

Castle HillFort

Bournemill Farm

B2071

A2014

A228

A21

A21

A21

A26

PemburyHall

Colebrooke

LONGFIELD ROADYew Tree Farm

Hospital

Hospital

RoyalTunbridge

Wells

© Crown Copyright and database right 2009. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100018928.

A21Tonbridge to Pembury

Dualling

Schematic map not to scale

Footbridge

Underbridge

Underbridge

µµ A21 Side access

µµ Dormice

µµ A21 Translocation activity

What is happening?

The first significant activity along the scheme will be the site clearance, removal of some trees and environmental mitigation work. Within the corridor of the scheme there are 9 Ha of ancient woodland which unfortunately cannot be avoided and needs to be removed. We are however taking coppiced trees, some shrubs and topsoil from the ancient woodland and re-planting (or translocating) it, together with new trees and shrubs, to other areas of land next to the scheme.

We realise that ancient woodland cannot be replaced but by carrying out translocation planting and new planting we will retain the local species and wildlife habitat and characteristics of the ancient woodlands. In total 18 Ha of land is being used to compensate for the loss of the 9 Ha of ancient woodland.

The re-planting of the woodland areas is scheduled to take place between October and December but it is weather dependant, so if we have a wet autumn this work may continue into early 2015.

The scheme also has to take account of the wildlife in the area. The main species on this section of the A21 are dormice and bats, which are legally protected and have to be encouraged to move away from the working area in a structured way. This work can only be undertaken under licence from Natural England.

Our first main road building activity will commence in January 2015 when we will begin to install narrow lanes and traffic control along the scheme.

Kent County Council (KCC) Longfield Road improvement scheme

Kent County Council has started widening works on Longfield Road from the A21 to Dowding Way. These works will contribute to providing a safer road infrastructure and improved access. The scheme is due to be completed in May 2015.

There will be an interface between both KCC and Highways Agency schemes at the east end of Longfield Road. The Highways Agency will continue to liaise with KCC to ensure that the design of this interface is optimised and that construction programmes for both schemes are aligned to minimise disruption.

A21 Tonbridge to Pembury Improvement

Contact details:

If you wish to write to the project team we can be contacted at the address below. Email: pam.hobson@balfourbeatty.comAddress:Balfour BeattyA21 Project Office,May Day Farm,Pembury Road, Pembury, KentTN11 0QG(Please note this is a temporary address until the new year)

You can also get in touch with the Highways Agency by:

Highways Agency Information Line (HAIL): 0300 123 5000Email:A21tonbridgepembury@highways.gsi.gov.ukTelephone:Anne-Marie Palmer 01306 87 8476Thomas Selby 01306 87 8331Address:A21 Tonbridge to Pembury ImprovementHighways AgencyMajor Projects,Room 2A, Federated House,London Road,Dorking, Surrey,RH4 1SZ

Public information exhibitions

We will shortly be holding a public exhibition which will give you the opportunity to meet the project team and ask any questions about the scheme you may have.

The exhibition will be held as follows:

How can I find out more information?

If you would like to contact us before then, or are unable to attend the exhibition, further information is available as follows:

The Highways Agency Website:You can sign up to receive email updates from our road project page, which is on our website at www.highways.gov.uk/roads/road-projects/A21-Tonbridge-to-Pembury-Dualling

© Crown copyright 2014.

You may re-use this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence visit: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence, or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk.

This document is also available on our website at www.highways.gov.uk

If you have any enquiries about this publication, please email ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk or call 0300 123 5000*

Please quote the Highways Agency Publications Code PR56/14

Highways Agency Dorking Creative S140569

* Calls to 03 numbers cost no more than a national rate call to an 01 or 02 number and must count towards any inclusive minutes in the same way as 01 and 02 calls. These rules apply to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT, other fixed line or payphone. Calls may be recorded or monitored.

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If you need help using this or any other Highways Agency information,please call 0300 123 5000 and we will assist you.

The Mercure Tunbridge Wells Hotel8 Tonbridge Road, Pembury, TN2 4QL

Friday 10th October 2014

2pm until 8pm

Saturday 11th October 2014

10am until 4pm