The health and well-being of Bean residents must be the priority when it comes to A2 improvements, according to the Dartford and Gravesham branch of a national charity.

Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) has written an open letter to Highways England, sharing its views on plans for controversial roadworks near Bean and Ebbsfleet, which would last three years and see 11 homes and an animal sanctuary destroyed.

Describing the current Bean interchange as “a complete mess”, branch chairman Alex Hills said it is essential residents receive the maximum protection possible from air, noise and light pollution and there is no loss of amenity in the area.

He suggested screens and hedges could help.

Mr Hills recognised the A2 junction for Bean needs improving, adding that it should have been done before Bluewater opened in 1999, but said it needs to be considered carefully.

Planned improvements at Bean include adding an additional bridge over the A2, providing a new slip road onto the A2, and enlarging the roundabout, while at Ebbsfleet both roundabouts are set to be enlarged and traffic lights will be installed.

Highways England says the work, which is likely to start in 2020, is necessary due to a predicted traffic surge of up to 200%.

But Mr Hills, along with members of Bean Residents’ Association and Bean Parish Council have concerns over the plans.

Mr Hills continued: “Building the slip road requires the Spirits Rest Horse Sanctuary and Ightham Cottages to be destroyed. The loss of homes and local amenity to increase congestion of the A2 is at best ridicule. Creating another slip road onto the A2 will increase congestion, increase air pollution and increase journey times thereby reducing the cost benefit of the project.

"The creation of a new slip road would cause traffic to backup into the Dartford Crossing, this just not make any sense. Having the M25 and Bean interchange being so close together already cause problems.”

He also concluded air pollution has “not been looked at properly” and said Highways England documents fail to take into account the area already exceeds the government’s Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Too many roundabouts and a failure to consider pedestrians and cyclists were other criticisms.

Mr Hills suggested replacing the first roundabout at Bean, off the westbound carriageway, which he said is well known for being dangerous, with traffic lights and creating cycle paths to keep cyclists safe.

He declared the most challenging junction to get right is the one where the A296 Roman Road and the B255 meet and suggested a number of improvements including making Roman Road into two lanes eastbound and moving the entire junction.

Mr Hills concluded: “CPRE Kent Dartford and Gravesham branch welcomes the fact that improvements to this interchange are been looked at. It is important that the right changes are made rather than an ‘anything is better than what we have now’ approach. The comments made in this document are intended to be a positive contribution to ensuring the best possible scheme is built. It is in everyone’s best interest that this is the case.”

Bean Residents’ Association has already criticised the plans, together with a Highways England questionnaire, which only invites comments on one option despite mentioning several others that had previously been considered.

Bean Parish Council discussed the plans at its last meeting and echoed concerns about residents only being consulted on one option.

The council then heavily criticised the layout of the majority of the scheme adding that roads leading from Bluewater will be gridlocked at Christmas.

Homes set to be demolished are all within Ebbsfleet Garden City boundary and the Ebbsfleet Development Corporation has been asked to re-home those affected. But parish councillors expressed concern that not every family forced from their home would be able to be relocated nearby.

A four week consultation into the proposals closes on Wednesday.

Further information is available here.