The project, near Sittingbourne, involves the creation of a new bridge above the existing A249.
The scheme will unlock new homes planned on the A249 corridor from the junction with the M2 to the Isle of Sheppey. The improvements include altering the slip and approach roads to the junction, service diversions, changing traffic signals, lighting, and major earthwork operations. This will increase capacity on the road network and provide the infrastructure needed for the proposed housing plans in Swale.
“These road improvements... will unlock extra capacity on the area’s roads, delivering on our ambition to put infrastructure in place first before planned housing.”
KCC’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Neil Baker, said: “The A249 Grovehurst Road Improvement Scheme will see a new bridge built over the dual carriageway below, helping to reduce congestion and make journey times more reliable.
“These road improvements, paid for through the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund and developer contributions, will unlock extra capacity on the area’s roads, delivering on our ambition to put infrastructure in place first before planned housing.”
Project Timelines and Traffic Management Plan
Preparation at the site started in July and the entire works are proposed to be completed by December 2024. Community leaders and members of the public are receiving regular traffic management updates. Planned road closures have been updated as follows:
13th September – 25th September (from 09:00 – 16:00)
Traffic management on the southbound Swale Way will be a single lane running under three-way traffic signals.
Thursday 12th October (from 20:00 – 06:00)
There will be a full southbound closure of the A249, towards Stockbury, between the exit and entry slip roads at the A249 Grovehurst Road junction to enable our contractor to set up safe working zones on the A249. Traffic will be diverted up and over the A249 via the existing southbound Grovehurst Road roundabout. Then, from 6am on Friday 13th October traffic will be reduced to a single lane between the Cowstead Corner roundabout on the Isle of Sheppey and the A249 at the Grovehurst Road junction. The single lane traffic restriction will remain in place for approximately 12 months. This replaces the planned works which were postponed from 20th September.
Thursday 21st September (from 20:00 – 06:00)
There will be a full northbound closure of the A249, towards the Isle of Sheppey, between the exit and entry slip roads of the A249 Grovehurst Road junction to enable our contractor to set up safe working zones. Traffic will be diverted up and over the A249 via the existing northbound Grovehurst Road roundabout. Then, from 6am on Friday 22nd September traffic will be reduced to a single lane between the A249 at the Bobbing junction and the Grovehurst Road junction. The single lane traffic restriction will remain in place for approximately 12 months.
Friday 22nd September
The exit and entry slip roads for the Grovehurst Road junction heading northbound, towards the Isle of Sheppey, will be closed for approximately four months. This means traffic which would normally exit the A249 at the Grovehurst Road junction will follow the A249 to the Kingsferry Road junction and return on the A249 southbound, towards Stockbury, and then exit at the existing Grovehurst Road junction. Both roundabouts will still be in use at this time. View a map of the diversion for when the A249 exit route is closed (PDF, 988.9 KB).
Similarly, traffic that would normally head for Sheppey from Sittingbourne will be diverted along the southbound A249, towards Stockbury, exiting at the Bobbing junction and then returning along the A249 towards the Isle of Sheppey. View a map of the diversion for when the A249 entry route is closed (PDF, 2.3 MB).
We will work with other contractors working in the area to minimise disruption in the area as far as possible.
