Delayed bypass to cost £20m more than planned

A bypass designed to ease traffic congestion around Canterbury will cost almost £20m more than originally planned.

Work on the Sturry Link Road, which was due to begin in autumn 2023, finally began in April and is expected to be finished in the summer of 2028.

The estimated cost of the project, which aims to link the A291 Sturry Hill to the A28 Sturry Road and ease congestion into nearby Canterbury, has increased from £41.6m to £61m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Kent County Council (KCC) said the cost increased as Homes England, the government agency, asked for "extra work" to be carried out as part of a funding agreement.

KCC signed an agreement in March securing £48.5m from Homes England - but almost £24m will eventually be repaid.

Peter Osborne, KCC's cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "This is a major investment for the area, and the support from Homes England is vital in helping us deliver the infrastructure needed to unlock new homes, support local businesses and improve everyday journeys."

Osborne said it will "make a real difference" to drivers who regularly face delays at the level crossing.

The new road would mean traffic would avoid the railway level crossing at Sturry which causes jams at peak times with around 18,000 vehicle movements per day.

It will run alongside hundreds of new homes planned for the former Greenfields Shooting Grounds.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, X, and Instagram, and listen to BBC Radio Kent on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.