It may look like a pile of rubbish and cones, but this is actually the preparation for the start of work to dual the A21.

A 2.5 mile stretch of the road between Tonbridge and Pembury is being turned into a dual carriageway next month.

The Highways Agency invited KentOnline for a look around the site.

Bosses revealed that several homeowners have already had to move out, after the organisation compulsorily purchased four houses and offered those living there compensation.

Plans have been in the pipeline for years and the works aim to reduce congestion, improve the flow of traffic, and prevent accidents.

"We hope to complete the project before December 2016..." - Graham Link

The Highways Agency, and building firm Balfour Beatty, will start work on the £71 million project next month.

The extra lane had been under consideration for a number of years while fears over the environment and congestion during road works were dealt with.

Graham Link, senior project manager, said: "It's taken this time due to a number of issues we have had to deal with, the single carriageway was bordered by ancient woodland, which we have a duty in trying to avoid harming.

"For every hectare of woodland we have to remove we will be planting two hectares in it's place."

With construction works to the North Farm industrial estate also underway, building on the road is likely to add to journey times until the A21 project is completed in December 2016.

Mr Link added: "The total benefits from saving on accidents and delays are about five times the cost, which, by our economical analysis scheme, equates to roughly £350 million.

"We hope to complete the project before December 2016."

Local organisations have been awaiting the construction, and Natalie Chapman, Head of Policy for London and the South East at the Freight Transport Association said:

"The dualling of the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury is long overdue so it's great news that the building work will finally now begin. But we will of course have to contend with a couple of years of pain during the construction phase until we finally have relief in sight."

The Highways Agency said main construction work will start in mid-April and traffic management measures will be necessary. Specific details will be released closer to the time.