Long-awaited plans to improve the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury have received a major boost with the news the government will fund the scheme - provided it gets the green light at a public inquiry.

Chancellor George Osborne said £92million is to be earmarked for the work that will be available from 2015.

Greg Clark, MP for Tunbridge Wells, said: "This is absolutely brilliant news. I have been campaigning hard over eight years to get the funding for this vital project. With the money in place, work on dualling the A21 can start as soon as possible after the public inquiry is completed."

He added: "The fact that the Chancellor has confirmed the funding will definitely be available for 2015 is the breakthrough we've all been working towards.

"It is a victory for everyone who has campaigned long and hard to get this nightmare stretch of road sorted out once and for all. This is a fantastic day for residents, businesses and visitors throughout west Kent and East Sussex."

The funding made available is to upgrade the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury to dual carriageway standard.

Under the Highways Agency's plans, a 2.5 mile section of the A21 which carries 40,000 vehicles a day, would be upgraded from single to dual carriageway, adding a lane in each direction.

Supporters say the scheme would make journeys on the A21 safer and more reliable and bring economic benefits estimated at more than £400m.

It would also improve journey times to Pembury Hospital.

Meanwhile, the leader of Kent County Council has warned of a "car crash round the corner" after the government announced that budgets for town halls are to be slashed by a further 10%.

Cllr Paul Carter said that compulsory job losses, council tax increases and service cuts were all likely as a result of the Chancellor's continued squeeze on the public sector to deal with the deficit.

And there was bad news for council staff after the governemnt said it was ending automatic pay rises for public sector staff.

Reacting to yesterday's announcement, Cllr warned: "It is a journey into the unknown. We did expect this and are planning for that but there is enormous uncertainty about whether we will be able to go on providing good quality frontline services with even less money."

He added: "We are getting to the point where the elastic will snap. Services will look and be shaped differently."

The council is expected to reveal some details of a far-reaching shake-up in its approach to key services next week, which is likely to involve a mix of more outsourcing to the private sector and offering more work to social entrepeneurs.

Mr Carter also questioned the government's pledge to provide councis with money to freeze council tax bills.

"The amount of money is not adequate to cover a council tax increase. It is short term money. A car crash is around the corner."

Cllr Roger Latchford, UKIP opposition leader at County Hall, said it was hard to see how cuts could be avoided but lashed the coalition for failing to cut the budget for overseas aid to help out councils.

"George Osborne's aim was to save £11.5bn but he has increased overseas aid."

It comes as members of the civil service union PCS held a 15-minute demonstration today outside Canterbury Crown Court.

Court staff are angry over the national 1% pay offer to civil servants and changes to their work conditions – which they claim has hit morale.

Canterbury court representative Roy Muller told the group: "We are repeatedly being asked to dig deep. Diversify and cross train. We are also seeing further staff cuts with no replacements.

"We are finding are finding it increasingly difficult to deliver a Rolls Royce service on a pedal cycle budget!"

He reminded colleagues that 40 years ago factory workers for Ford at Dagenham won a battle for a 7p-an-hour wage rise.

"That is what some of us are being paid now – and yet all we are offered is a derisory 1% pay increase."