Highways England (HE) will be carrying out community consultation to obtain feedback on our plans for M20 junction 10a. The consultation will run for nine weeks, from Thursday 14 January until Thursday 17 March 2016.
You can find out the full details of our consultation by looking at the Statement of Community Consultation (SOCC) (please see Publications below)
You can give your views by:
- completing our online survey, which will be live from 14 January 2015 until Thursday 17 March 2016
- attending a public consultation exhibition and complete a questionnaire
Publications
Bulletin
M20 junction 10A statement of community consultation
Business Case
M20 Junction 10A – Business Case
Leaflet
M20 Junction 10A – Public Consultation Leaflet
M20 Junction 10A – Preferred Route Annoucement leaflet
Report
M20 Junction 10A – Appraisal Summary Table
Details of public exhibitions:
- The New Ashford Market (Amos Hall), Ashford TN24 0HB
- Thursday 21 January, 12pm to 8pm
- Friday 22 January, 10am to 8pm
- Saturday 23 January, 9.30am to 3.30pm
- ASDA, Kimberley Way, Ashford TN24 0SE
- Wednesday 3 February, 11am to 3pm
- Ashford Designer Outlet, Kimberley Way, Ashford TN24 0SD
- Wednesday 10 February, 11am to 3pm
Views and comments received during this consultation will be considered and summarised in our Consultation Report. HE will send this report to the Planning Inspectorate as part of the Development Consent Order application.
About
What is happening?
We are proposing to provide a new M20 junction 10A and link road to the A2070 at Ashford in Kent with a new dual carriageway link road to the existing A2070 Southern Orbital Road (Bad Munstereifel Road) and also connect to the A20 Hythe Road.
The Secretary of State for Transport announced the preferred route in March 2010 after considering the views of those who responded to the consultation and our recommendations. This comprises the following:
- constructing a new M20 junction 10A, 700 metres south east of junction 10; the new junction will include a roundabout over the motorway, new slip roads and a new link road to the A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road, with junction 10A partially signalised with two 3 lane bridges
- incorporating the A20 Hythe Road in the new junction so that the traffic in both directions would travel via the new roundabout
- a new pedestrian/cycle bridge over the M20 from Kingsford Street to the A20
- demolishing the existing Highfield Lane Bridge and Church Road footbridge
- a new non-motorised user crossing at Church Road
- removing the east facing slip roads at the existing junction 10
The preferred route is protected from development. You can view the Preferred Route Announcement Leaflet under Publications above.
HE have also produced a Scheme Assessment report and Public Consultation report explaining the factors that determined the choice of the scheme. If you would like to receive a copy of these reports please use the contacts below.
Map of scheme in relation to local landmarks
When and where is this happening?
The Spending Review announcement in October 2010 listed the M20 junction 10A scheme for potential construction in future spending review periods, subject to the outcome of statutory processes.
The scheme review is now complete. In May 2012 ministers announced a number of schemes which would now have their pre-construction development works funded to prepare them for potential construction early in the next spending review period. M20 junction 10A was not one of these and so remained as a future programme.
The new interchange will be on the M20, approximately 700m to the east of junction 10, between Ashford and Folkestone in Kent.
Why is this happening and what will it cost?
The scheme will support the development of Ashford. The existing M20 junction 10 will suffer from congestion and long delays in the future if additional capacity is not provided. The M20 is an international route and is used by large volumes of heavy goods and holiday traffic. Long distance traffic from the M20, A20 and A2070 (south of Ashford) conflicts with local traffic from Hythe Road and Kennington Road.
The M20 junction 10A scheme has been identified as a key transport requirement and is essential to the future development of South Ashford. The recent improvements at junction 10, to increase the capacity and improve safety, will allow some development to go ahead but will not be sufficient for all of the proposed developments
How will the scheme be carried out?
This scheme is still at the planning and design stage; more information about how it will actually be implimented will be added here as it becomes available.
What are the benefits?
The provision of junction 10A is pivotal to the future development of South Ashford, which has long been identified in both structural and local plans as the focus for growth and expansion in Ashford. Our proposals will:
- provide infrastructure to support development in the Ashford area
- help separate long distance traffic from local traffic
- reduce congestion and improve journey time reliability and road safety
- improve noise and air quality for properties to the west of A2070
- provide a safer crossing facility over the M20 for pedestrians and cyclists via a new footbridge
How do I find out more information ?
More information will be posted on the project page on Highways England website as it becomes available. You can subscribe to be alerted when updates are made.
If you have any queries about this project you should contact the Highways Agency Information Line by emailing ha_info@highways.gsi.gov.uk or calling 0300 123 5000.