THE much hoped-for plan to widen the A21 looked in ruins this week.

An inquiry into converting the road between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells into a dual carriageway has been postponed by the Government.

Labour had approved the £125 million scheme, with the next stage set to be a public inquiry this summer.

Not broadening the 4km stretch of road south of Tonbridge would have a knock-on effect on businesses across West Kent, according to Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon.

Mr Fallon said: "We had feared this – it's going to prolong the disruption.

"It's only a short 4km stretch of road, but it needs dualling. It creates a serious bottleneck. It disadvantages the West Kent economy just with the extra time it takes."

Now the new Government Office for the South East has announced: "In view of uncertainty over the availability of funding, it has been decided to postpone, for the time being, the holding of a local inquiry."

Work was due to start in winter 2011/12 and finish by 2013.

Local government minister and Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, said it was "too early to say" if the A21 would survive a new review this autumn.

But, Mr Fallon insisted: "The project is not dead."