Motorway slip road campaign gathers pace

THE campaign for more motorway slip-roads at Sevenoaks is gathering pace, with support from villages along the A25.

J5Slips chairman Tim Shaw said: "We have had a response from nearly all the parish councils saying they are in favour, from as far as Snodland and West Malling through to Edenbridge and Tonbridge.

"We also have the backing of Sevenoaks District Council, Sevenoaks Society and Greatness Residents' Association and environmental groups like Keep Boroughs Green and the Campaign to Protect Rural England."

The group is lobbying the Government to support full road connectivity in all directions at the M25/M26/A21 interchange.

Historically, the scheme has caused division, with residents to the west of the district wary of supporting a proposal which could see slip-roads being built in their backyards.

Borough Green resident Mr Shaw said: "We have never said we would come up with a solution or a design. We have just said the road network needs to connect at junction 5."

The A20 and A25 from Wrotham Heath to Chipstead are classified by Kent County Council as a strategic trunk route, but if slip-roads were built they could be downgraded.

"Our remit is focused on removing the horrendous traffic, in particular freight, coming along the A25 through our villages and past our schools," said Mr Shaw.

"Not only is there a huge safety impact, but there is the unknown danger to people's health, with the A25 through Sevenoaks already identified as one of the worst areas of diesel pollution in Kent. The links between cancer levels and poor air quality are as yet unknown."

One of the groups yet to come on board with the campaign is Sevenoaks Town Council, which has said it will keep a "watching brief" on its progress.

Cllr Merilyn Canet will be attending the group's next meeting in Seal Village Hall on February 18 as a "concerned individual".

She said: "For some reason the town council felt that it didn't concern them. I don't understand it because I represent the Bat and Ball area and am very concerned about the A25 and know there are problems with air quality there.

"I'd rather be involved and see if we can do something to help, because doing nothing does not seem to me to be an option."

Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon congratulated J5Slips on gathering support, but he said it would need the backing of all parish councils affected, not just the majority.

He said the Government did not intend building the junction 5 slip-roads within the next decade.

"The problem there is actually with traffic travelling westbound," he said.

"Another issue is to get better signage to direct HGVs and other traffic going north on the A21 up to junction 3 of the M25, which is longer but would benefit the Sevenoaks area greatly." To find out more go to J5Slips.org or contact Mr Shaw on tim@timshaw.wanadoo.co.uk