Our fight to widen the A21 hits the 2,000 mark
MORE than 2,000 people have so far backed the Courier's A21 For 2016 campaign.
We launched the campaign 11 weeks ago to put pressure on the Government to allocate funding to the long-awaited A21 widening project.
MPs, Tunbridge Wells borough councillors, businesses and readers have pledged their support to the campaign which has now been backed by 2,098 members of the public signing our petition.
The £120 million project to widen the gridlocked road was put on hold in 2010 amid budget cuts.
The A21 For 2016 campaign was launched in December after Prime Minister David Cameron said there would be money available for road projects in 2015 for those who "shout the loudest".
If funding to dual the A21 between Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells was secured, construction to improve the road could start as early as 2016.
Kent County Council has recalculated the Highways Agency's original widening plans and believes the work can be carried out for the reduced sum of £70 million.
A two-month push, which saw hundreds of petition forms distributed to shops and businesses across the town has now passed the 2,000 mark – but we won't stop there.
Courier editor Ian Read said: "We have had a brilliant response from the public with thousands of residents signing the petitions and many readers pledging their support. But we need as much support as possible to ensure our message reaches Number 10 Downing Street so I urge everyone to sign our petition and support the campaign."
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council leader Bob Atwood said: "'The A21 feeds into Tunbridge Wells at two critical points at North Farm and Pembury and is essential for the economy of the town."
Comments
by Jayaydee
Monday, February 20 2012, 9:48PM
“A 2016 start (2017 finish?) is just not good enough! Five years time,: what a joke!
We have to urge Greg Clark, KCC and all others involved to get it started by 2014, at the very latest.
We also need speedy KCC solutions and cash for North Farm highways/traffic improvements. Hopefully, within the next year?
It's completely unacceptable that KCC continues to ignore the highways needs of Tunbridge Wells and instead chooses to put much of OUR cash and ITS almost entire highways efforts into other parts of Kent with far less traffic problems than we have in our own town and borough.
I'm sure our own, TWB council is doing its utmost to get things moving (literally!) but since roads and traffic are entirely Kent's responsibility, they can do no more than keep up the pressure on KCC.”