Maidstone: Councillor says relief-road study should proceed now

Funds have been allocated to examine a new relief road between the A274 and A20

Funds to explore the feasibility of a new relief road project in Kent should be spent soon, councillors have said.

A pot of £1m has been allocated to look at building a Leeds-Langley bypass between the A274 and A20 at junction eight of the M20 near Maidstone.

Gary Cooke, a conservative councillor on Maidstone Borough Council, wants to "get the ball rolling" on the project.

He said: "Anyone who has tried using the B2163 in recent months will know it is a bit of a nightmare."

Mr Cooke said: "We should get on and use [the money]. People have been waiting way too long."

The road, which is estimated to cost between £55m-£65m, would stretch between the LOC8 logistics park and Five Wents at Langley Heath and would come with housing.

'Huge benefits'

Liberal Democrat councillor and planning committee vice-chairman, Clive English, said: "Without a large chunk of government money, it's hard to see how you can make it work.

"To pay for a relief road with houses would probably create more traffic than is mitigated by the road."

The borough council and Kent County Council have in the past been unable to agree a strategy to move the project forward, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The scheme is likely to be master developer-led rather than be a MBC project, a council source said.

Maidstone Borough Council deputy leader Paul Cooper said: "There are huge benefits to be had from the relief road in that south east Maidstone area but it is difficult to see it happening without housing.

"I have been in favour of a relief road for years, so it would be good to look at the issue in a lot more detail. That's what the fund has been put aside for."

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.