THE strong economic case for dualling the A21 between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells could mean the scheme survives the Government's ruthless spending review.

As reported in the Courier, the £125 million widening had been approved by the Labour Government in 2006 and was poised for a public inquiry this summer. It was expected to be operating by 2013.

CHAOS THEORY: It is believed that by dualling the A21 in a £125 million project, such chaotic scenes as these will become a thing of the past
OUR MESSAGE: How the Courier urged David Cameron to not ditch plans to widen the A21

But it has been put on ice while ministers work on spending cuts at Whitehall.

They are expected to average about 25 per cent per department and this week the Highways Agency told the Courier it, like the rest of the country, was awaiting news of the cuts.

Agency spokesman James Wright said this week: "If we find that we do have funds to continue with the A21, then we pick up where we left off and that is planning for a public inquiry."

He said all road schemes had "benefit-to-cost ratio" which showed how much the UK economy would gain for every £1 spent.

The A21 dualling – which would ease severe congestion on Castle Hill and Longfield Road roundabout, surrounding local roads and improve access to Hastings – had a 3.4 ratio.

In previously published documents, the Highways Agency said the scheme "performed strongly" economically because of its effects on congestion and delays, improved accessibility and safety.

It said it would generate £238 million in travel time cost savings and £27 million in accident benefits, and concluded "there is a strong economic case for the scheme".

In simple terms, for every £1 spent on the scheme, the UK economy would benefit by £3.40.

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark said the economic benefits were vital for Hastings as well as locally.

He also said the scheme was important for the Private Finance Initiative £225 million hospital at Pembury – due to receive its first patients early next year – reaching its "full potential".

It was these two factors which should "reinforce the urgency" for the scheme, he added.

The need for dualling the A21 had already been established ahead of its deferral, Mr Clark said, adding: "It is not a question of being in doubt but whether the money will be there."

He, along with Tonbridge and Malling MP Sir John Stanley and MPs whose constituencies lay along the route, had already made "pre-emptive approaches" to the Department of Transport to "press the case with a vengeance" for the A21 scheme.

He said all government departments must wait until October to hear of their respective budgets. Only then could they assess which schemes would progress.