Major road to shut as new footbridge is installed

Contractors are preparing to shut a major route to install a new footbridge this weekend.

The A2070 in Ashford will close in both directions overnight from Saturday to Sunday, June 1 and 2, for the installation of the Church Road footbridge.

It comes after the former crossing was demolished last June as part of the Junction 10a improvement works.

A mobile crane will be used to install the footbridge, which will be accessible to pedestrians in autumn 2019.

Work to install the new footbridge will start at 8pm on Saturday and finish at 10am on Sunday.

If the work is disrupted due to bad weather, the installation will be rescheduled to the weekend of June 8 and 9.

Diversion routes will be in place during the closure and traffic will be redirected along the A2042 and through Ashford.

Ashford Retail Park, Barrey Road and Church Road will still be accessible during the works as the stretch of A2070 leading from the Orbital Park Roundabout will be open as usual. Drivers will be escorted from Orbital Park roundabout as far as their turning off the A2070.

For those travelling along Church Road, vehicles may need to wait for a few minutes while access is provided across the roadworks.

The installation is part of the multimillion-pound Junction 10a scheme, which is set to be completed and open to traffic this autumn.

Lane closures and a 40mph speed limit on the A2070 are due to remain in place until the work is finished in late this year.

The long-awaited Barrey Road traffic lights will be installed at a junction dubbed a “death trap” this autumn.

Highways bosses had previously announced that they would pay for signals at the Barrey Road junction in Sevington - which links the A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road with the Ashford Retail Park - after a road safety audit found that they were the best option.

■ For more information on the closure visit highwaysengland. co.uk/projects/m20-junction-10a ■ What do you think? Write to Kentish Express, Unit 4, Park Mall shopping centre, Ashford, TN24 8RY or email kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk

Part of the footbridge being built along the A2070 and, right, how the finished Church Road footbridge will look

The Church Road footbridge being taken down last year