Roads in the south-east of England are set to get a £142 million investment in a bid to make journeys safer and faster. The money will be spent on a number of motorways and major A-roads across the region, with road resurfacing, cycle lane creation and signage improvement all planned.
Major routes including the M25, M27 and A2 are all on the hit list for Highways England, the government-run company in charge of the country’s arterial routes. The A13, M3 and M4 are also set to benefit from the investment, which will see a multitude of projects spring up across the south-east of the country.
Changes include widening the slip roads at junction 23 of the M25 in the hope of improving traffic flow through the intersection, as well as major resurfacing works on the M27 between junctions 11 and 12 (the Fareham and Gosport turn-off to the Portsmouth junction). The A2 near Canterbury is also set to be resurfaced, alongside planned repairs to the concrete in the hope of reducing potholes.
Other Kentish roads will also be resurfaced, with new asphalt between junctions 8 and 10 of the M23 and between junctions 4 and 5 of the M20. And the A30 in west London is undergoing repairs, too, with works already underway to widen parts of the Crooked Billet junction near Staines and to improve traffic signals.
“This government is committed to improving our transport infrastructure, and this multi-million-pound investment is a real reflection of that commitment,” said roads minister Baroness Vere. “The funding will ensure motorists and road-users right across the South East will enjoy safer and better journeys, whilst boosting local economies as we continue to build back better from the pandemic.
Meanwhile Highways England’s regional director for the South East, Nicola Bell, said the investment would help to make journeys smoother.
“Keeping our roads in good condition is essential for the safety and journey reliability of drivers,” she said. “This multi-million-pound investment will help keep journeys on our motorways and A roads flowing and reduce the risk of unplanned, disruptive maintenance. Over the next 12 months, we’ll be working hard to ensure drivers across the South East enjoy a smoother experience while travelling on our roads.”
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Highways England has said “most” of the upgrades will have “minimal impact” on motorists, but it has confessed some will require lane closures or road closures. Although the organisation has promised “disruption will be kept to a minimum”, it advises drivers to keep up to date via the Highways England website or by following @HighwaysSEast on Twitter.