by political editor Paul Francis

Long-standing plans to widen the A21 - one of the county's busiest stretches of road - have been given a boost.

The government has agreed with Kent County Council to jointly fund a public inquiry into the scheme - but says funding will still not be available until 2015.

However, the news will be welcomed by those campaigning for the scheme between Tonbridge and Pembury to be given the go-ahead.

Transport minister Mike Penning said: "What we have said today is that the argument has been won. I have been lobbied extensively by KCC and the MPs Greg Clark and Michael Fallon. I have accepted the A21 needs to go ahead as soon as funding becomes available. The earliest that will be is 2015.

"I have agreed to fund jointly with KCC the public inquiry so we can get the statutory processes out of the way and so we can ease the pressure point on the local community.

"I have looked at it very carefully - there are six projects under consideration [for 2015] and the fact this is going to public inquiry gives a strong hint of where I am."

He said that in an ideal world, the widening programme should have taken place before the Pembury Hospital was built - "but we are where we are."

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark welcomed the news.

"This is superb news. Not only has the Minister said that the A21 dualling is one of only six schemes in the country to be prepared for investment from 2015, but he also confirmed to me that the Public Inquiry can go ahead without further delay.

"The whole community has been fighting so hard to get the A21 dualled and I am delighted that the minister has listened to our arguments."

He added: "I hope we can get through the Public Inquiry quickly so that it will be all systems go when the next round of money is released in 2015. This is a massive boost."

The A21 scheme is aimed at easing congestion on a stretch of road carrying 40,000 vehicles a day and improve journey times to Pembury Hospital.

Estimates of the costs vary with the Highways Agency saying it could be as much as £111m, but KCC has argued that a lower cost option could be built for £70m.