Upgrades planned for key UK link

Work is now to go ahead on upgrading a key stretch of the A21 road in the UK. Contractor Balfour Beatty will handle the work to widen a stretch of the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury and also improve the road, with it becoming a dual carriageway. The €87.55 million (£69.7 million) scheme forms part of a plan by the UK Government for a series of road improvements of €30.15 billion (£24 billion) by 2021. Advance work is expected to start in the third quarter of this year with the main construction activity
July 14, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Work is now to go ahead on upgrading a key stretch of the A21 road in the UK. Contractor 1146 Balfour Beatty will handle the work to widen a stretch of the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury and also improve the road, with it becoming a dual carriageway. The €87.55 million (£69.7 million) scheme forms part of a plan by the UK Government for a series of road improvements of €30.15 billion (£24 billion) by 2021. Advance work is expected to start in the third quarter of this year with the main construction activity commencing in the second quarter of 2015. A 4km section of the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury in Kent will be upgraded from single to dual carriageway, adding a lane in each direction, upgrading junctions and improving the road layout. The road scheme will make journeys on the A21 safer and help reduce congestion as the section is used by over 35,000 drivers/day. The A21 upgrade is one of six major road schemes that the 2309 Highways Agency is developing for delivery after 2015 and is in addition to the 24 major road projects on England's motorways and major A roads being delivered between 2010 and 2015. Evidence given at the public enquiry last year showed that journey times will be improved along this section by up to 65% in 2017 while the number of collisions reduced by 60%.
Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Algeria upgrading route to key highway status
    June 5, 2015
    Algeria is upgrading National Road One (RN01) so that it will become the North-South motorway. The project involves widening and improving the route as well as adding more lanes. The work forms part of the 2010-2014 five-year plan and involves seven local and national companies. It involves doubling the number of lanes for the 103km stretch between the Laghouat and Ghardaïa regions. The work is costing US$116 million. Work on the first 51km section will be completed at the end of August 2015, while the seco
    Read More
  • Balfour Beatty wins Midlands road technology maintenance package
    April 23, 2014
    Balfour Beatty has secured its third Regional Technology Maintenance Contract (RTMC) from the Highways Agency. This deal is worth some €10.56 million (£8.7 million) over five years. The package involves maintaining around 28,000 technology assets on behalf of the Highways Agency and will cover both the Highways Agency’s Area 7 (the East Midlands) and Area 9 (the West Midlands). The technology service provided by Balfour Beatty includes responsibility for managing and maintaining road-side technology systems
    Read More
  • Nepal's upgraded links
    May 25, 2012
    The Indian Government is providing assistance for road construction work in neighbouring Nepal. This assistance is for building the Kulekhani – Kathmandu road section, which will be widened and upgraded with an asphalt surface. The road will be widened to 7.5m and the work is being carried out by Indian Contractor Golden Goods. Meanwhile asphalt surfacing work is has now been completed on Nepal’s Hetauda-Bhimphedi-Kulekhani-Pharphing-Chaimale road Section. Surfacing work is in hand on the remaining 21km sec
    Read More
  • Highways England: new agency with long-term investment strategies
    August 18, 2015
    Highways England, created out of the old Highways Agency, was set up on April 1 to oversee a closer relationship between government client and private contractors. World Highways went to a recent forum in London to hear both sides declare their hopes and challenges. Government reforms are often met with a certain amount of scepticism thanks to years of disillusionment over forgotten ministerial promises. Given that, highway contractors in the UK could have been forgiven if they had raised their eyes skyward
    Read More

Highlighted Content