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

  • New strategic road links planned for UK
    May 21, 2013
    New road upgrades are planned in the UK to reduce congestion and improve safety for vehicle drivers. Upgrades will be carried out to the A1 west of the city of Newcastle, the A12 in Essex to the east of capital London and the M62 motorway that connects the cities of Manchester and Leeds. Studies will be carried out first to identify the needs for other routes forming the country’s strategic road network. The necessary strategy will be produced for all routes in the second quarter of 2014, allowing a network
    Read More
  • RAC blasts UK Government's poor infrastructure investment
    May 14, 2012
    The UK’s motorists are facing increased congestion and longer delays due to a steady increase in vehicle numbers combined with reduced spending on transport infrastructure. A report by the RAC Foundation warns that there will be 4,000,000 more cars on the UK’s roads in the next 25 years, while the UK’s Government has not explained what plans it has to cope with the projected increase in traffic. The report predicts a 43% rise in traffic volume by 2035, with the biggest increase in the East Midlands. The fou
    Read More
  • Balfour Beatty wins €225mn UK motorway upgrade contract
    June 23, 2014
    Balfour Beatty has won a €225 million (£184 million) motorway upgrade contract from the Highways Agency. A total of 27.3kms (17 miles) on the M60 and M72 will be upgraded. The work includes converting the carriageway between junctions 18 and 20 on the M72 to a four-lane motorway. The carriageway stretch between junctions 8 and 12 on the M60 will also be upgraded. Employing around 1,000, the work is due to begin this month (July 2014) and be completed by autumn 2017.
    Read More
  • Work underway on major UK road widening scheme
    January 14, 2013
    Work on a major US$241.9 million (£150m) road widening scheme in the East Midlands region of England has started near Nottingham. The works will focus on an 11.26km (seven mile) stretch of the A453 between M1 Junction 24 and the A52 Nottingham Ring Road – a major link serving Nottingham, the M1 and East Midlands Airport.
    Read More

Highlighted Content