The A21 near North Farm retail park in Tunbridge Wells

by Helen Geraghty

Traders are welcoming news of a £5million project to sort out serious traffic congestion at the North Farm retail park, off the A21 near Tunbridge Wells.

The area - which includes Argos, Next and B&Q as well as the more recently opened John Lewis Home, Asda and Marks and Spencer - has become increasingly notorious for peak-time traffic queues.

A single car breakdown or a minor shunt could bring the area to lengthy gridlock in moments.

Now the Department for Transport and Kent County Council have announced funding to widen Longfield Road, which joins the site to the A21 and also to build two new roundabouts at outdated junctions. They said they hoped to meet a deadline of March 2015.

David Aisher, of Drakes Plumbing Supplies, has worked with many other North Farm businesses to fight congestion and said the improvements would make a big difference to shoppers and traders.

He said: "We all naturally welcome the news that money will now be made available by central government through the Department for Transport for these road works.

"With these improvements and those due to be made to the A21 we will at last have a road network that properly serves the many local businesses and residents alike.

"Kent County Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council have put a lot of work into this and we look forward to working with them to deliver the new infrastructure to budget and on time."