Sandwich and Deal MPs have teamed up to campaign for more investment in the enterprise zone and road improvements in east Kent.

The newly elected Sandwich MP, Craig Mackinlay and Deal and Dover MP, Charlie Elphicke met with Paul Watkins, leader of Dover District Council and Tim Ingleton, regeneration officer, last week at the House of Commons.

They will make a joint case to ministers for the extension of Discovery Park’s enterprise zone to Betteshanger and Manston.

They are also campaigning for the A256 dual carriageway to be completed between Eastry and Sandwich, and a link road into North Deal to take pressure off the “death trap A258.”

Mr Mackinlay said: “A new Manston enterprise zone will make Manston airport ready for businesses in the aviation sector with aircraft recycling, hi-tech engineering and training.

“Dualling of the A256 will make the east Kent corridor running north-south work effectively and is important for connectivity between Dover and Deal constituency and my own.”

Mr Elphicke has proposed the link road to North Deal before and now it is hoped the two MPs can secure the backing of ministers to push it forward.

"We need a new dualled link road into North Deal to take pressure of the death trap A258 and make it safer.” - Mr Elphicke.

Mr Elphicke said: “I’m so proud to be working with Craig. He delivered a brilliant maiden speech this week and will be a great MP for east Kent. Working together for east Kent with a majority Conservative Government we can achieve so much.

“We need to see the enterprise zone extended to Betteshanger. We need a new dualled link road into North Deal to take pressure of the death trap A258 and make it safer.”

Their support for the enterprise zone expanding to Betteshanger and Manston has been welcomed by Discovery Park.

Paul Barber, managing director, said: “We are really pleased that Discovery Park has been recognised as a success. Extending the enterprise zone to include land at Betteshanger and Manston is welcomed in principle, and we are keen to work with the government and local councils to agree how the three developments can work collectively for the benefit of east Kent as a whole.

“Personally, I would not impose tight controls over what type of businesses can locate either at Betteshanger or Manston as experience at Discovery Park has shown that businesses thrive when there is a good cross-section of activities on a site.”