WIREDGOV

Dartford Motorway scheme opens five months early

HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release (SE277-07) issued by The Government News Network on 18 December 2007

The Highways Agency has today opened the £120 million improvement scheme for the A2/A282 at Dartford five months ahead of schedule. This scheme has been completed in time for the annual Christmas holiday getaway.

The Highways Agency scheme involved widening the A2 from three to four lanes between Bean and its junction with the M25/A282, a total distance of 1.5 miles. It also included the construction of link roads from the M25/A282 in the north to the A2 in the east.

The Roads Minister Tom Harris welcomed the opening of the new lanes. He said:

"By using innovative traffic management technology, the Highways Agency and its contractors have finished this scheme five months earlier than planned, bringing significant benefits to the thousands of drivers who use this busy route every day.

"The new lanes will reduce congestion, improve safety and deliver better journey time reliability. Importantly, thanks to the use of these innovative techniques, the project has also been completed on budget."

Using the new Quick Movable Barrier system the Highways Agency shaved five months off the duration of the project. This innovative machine can lift 12 tons of concrete safety barriers into place at a speed of 7mph. This allowed the Highways Agency to change the layout of the works quickly and keep more lanes open for drivers during peak periods, as well as providing a higher level of safety protection for both workers and road-users.

The nearby £62 million pound scheme to widen the M25 between junctions 1b and 3, south of the Dartford Crossing, continues and once completed will provide an additional fourth lane along this 4 mile stretch of motorway.

Notes to Editors
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England's motorways and major A roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. The contract for this scheme was awarded to Costain Ltd on 6 July 2005. The scheme was packaged with the M25 Junction 1B - 3 widening under an "Early Contractor Involvement" (ECI) contract.

The Improvement includes:
* New roads to directly link the A282 (going north) and A2 (going east)

* A new lane from the A2 (going west) to M25 (going south)

* A fourth lane added in each direction on the A2 from M25 Junction 2 (Darenth Interchange) to Bean Junction

* Four new structures - including a 470 m long flyover over M25 Junction 2

* Earth mounds and noise fencing to shield properties

* Low noise surfacing to reduce traffic noise

* New Drainage and pollution measures to trap spillage from the highway and prevent contamination of water courses.

3. Real-time traffic information for England's motorways and major A roads is now available:
* From our new Traffic Radio service, available on DAB digital radio and the internet at http://www.trafficradio.org.uk To tune into the DAB service, simply press the "scan" button on your radio. The radio will tune into all available channels and you can select the new service by scrolling through the channels until you reach "Traffic Radio".
* On the internet at http://www.highways.gov.uk/trafficinfo
* By phone from the Highways Agency 24-hour voice activated phone service on 08700 660 115. (Calls from BT landlines to 0870 numbers will cost no more than 8p per minute; mobile calls usually cost more).
Before using a mobile, find a safe place to park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an emergency. Make sure it's safe and legal before you call.

4. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website http://www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time. (Calls to 0845 numbers cost no more than 3p/min from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary)

Issued by the Highways Agency South East Press Office.

For further information please contact the Senior Press and Publicity Officer Stuart Thompson on 01306 878110; stuart.thompson@highways.gsi.gov.uk
Out of hours the Highways Agency Duty Press Officer can be contacted by phoning 020 7081 7443