A26 Hadlow

In October 2022, we will be carrying out work to the A26 High Street in Hadlow to improve the road surface.

As part of this improvement, the paving blocks on the road will be removed and replaced with a tarmac style surface.

The paving blocks in the parking bays and outside the village shops will not be removed as part of this work.

The A26 is a strategically important route which gets a high quantity of traffic daily. It is an increasing challenge to keep the section which runs through Hadlow in a good condition.

Over the years, with the rising levels of vehicles on our roads and the number of repairs to utilities that have taken place, the block paved surface has been damaged. Each time work is done to a block paved road, the strength is weakened.

A bituminous/tarmac surface is the most effective and cost-efficient way to make sure the road surface is best prepared to withstand traffic movements in the long term. It will also be a smoother, quieter running surface.

Road closures

For the safety of our workforce, highway users and residents of Hadlow village, it will be necessary to close the A26 to undertake these works. We will do this over multiple weekends to impact traffic flow less than weekday closures. The closures will be:

  • 8pm on Friday 21 October to 5am on Monday 24 October 2022
  • 8pm on Friday 28 October to 5am on Monday 31 October 2022
  • 8pm on Friday 4 November to 5am on Monday 7 November 2022.

We will also need to close the road for 2 weeknights to complete the work:

  • 8pm on Monday 7 November to 5am on Tuesday 8 November 2022
  • 8pm on Tuesday 8 November to 5am on Wednesday 9 November 2022.

During these closures, Arriva, who run bus route 7, have put in place alternative arrangements. This includes a shuttle bus that will run between Tonbridge town centre and Hadlow in both directions.

Diversions

The A26 will have partial closures in place at Common Road and Cuckoo Lane. Vehicle access for residents and businesses beyond these points will be dependent on the stage of works. Further details can be found in the 'Timescales' section below.

There will be 2 signed diversions for A26 through traffic. The local diversion route for residents will not be signed to avoid unsuitable vehicles using the narrow lanes.

Primary signed diversion route

  • A26 Tonbridge Road
  • A26 Hadlow Road East
  • A26 Hadlow Road
  • Yardley Park Road
  • A227 Shipbourne Road
  • A227 Tonbridge Road
  • A25 Borough Green Road
  • A25 Sevenoaks Road
  • A227 Western Road
  • A227 Wrotham Road
  • A227 Borough Green Road
  • A227 Wrotham Bypass
  • A20 London Road
  • B2016 Seven Mile Lane
  • A26 Tonbridge Road and vice versa.

Over-height signed diversion route

  • A26 Tonbridge Road
  • A26 Hadlow Road East
  • A26 Hadlow Road
  • Yardley Park Road
  • A227 Shipbourne Road
  • A227 Tonbridge Road
  • A25 Borough Green Road
  • A25 Sevenoaks Road
  • A227 Western Road
  • A227 Wrotham Road
  • A227 Borough Green Road
  • A227 Wrotham Bypass
  • A20 London Road
  • A228 Ashton Way
  • A228 Malling Road
  • A228 Tonbridge Road
  • A26 Tonbridge Road and vice versa.

Local residents' diversion route (no signage)

  • Common Road
  • Carpenters Lane
  • Hamptons Road
  • Puttenden Road
  • Higham Lane
  • Cuckoo Lane and vice versa.

View the diversions on our roadworks map.

We understand roadworks can be disruptive. You can help make sure they are finished as soon as possible.

Resident support

Make sure vehicles are not parked on the road or pavement as this could cause delays to our work. We will put yellow cones in the parking bays to show the location of parking restrictions over specific weekends.

If you live in the active works area or within our site storage areas, there may unfortunately be restrictions in getting access to your property during the times of our closures. If this applies to you and you are aware of any journeys you’ll need to make, please park your vehicle elsewhere before work starts to avoid issues exiting your property or parking location.

If you have any specific requests or issues while the road is closed, please speak to one of our onsite operatives. Please be patient with our staff, we will make every effort to minimise disruption while maintaining safety.

For the safety of our workforce and that of other road users, please drive carefully and slowly through the work site.

Business support

We acknowledge that these highway improvement works could impact businesses within the village. Please be assured that the footways will remain open during our works so customers can continue to park in a suitable location and visit your business on foot.

Wherever possible it is advised that deliveries are arranged outside of road closure days and times. We will try to get deliveries as close to their intended destination as possible, but access into our active works area will usually be prohibited due to safety considerations.

If you need emergency access to your business or if any issues arise, please speak to one of our onsite operatives. Please be patient with our staff, we will make every effort to minimise disruption while maintaining safety.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused to businesses during these works. We intend to complete the works as quickly as possible to minimise the impact. We understand there could be a potential, partial loss of trade for businesses within the area. We sympathise with business owners who may be affected, but are not in a position to offer reimbursement for possible loss of income. When the relevant legislation for the maintenance and improvement of public highways was passed, Parliament included no requirement on local authorities to compensate residents or businesses impacted by such works. This includes extra fuel costs that could be incurred due to long diversions as a result of a road being closed.

We will work with businesses to identify and lower the level of disruption wherever possible.

This is our planned works schedule. Unforeseen circumstances may cause this to change.

Weekend 1: Friday 21 to Monday 24 October

The road will be fully closed between the Hadlow College entrance and shortly before ‘The Square’ (where the shops are located).

We will remove approximately half the area of block pavers in the High Street and replace them with one layer of asphalt. This layer will not be at the finished road surface height but will be safe to use on an interim basis once the road is reopened.

From the morning of Monday 24 October to the evening of Friday 28 October the road will be fully open for use.

View a map of the works area, closure points and possible alternative parking locations (PDF, 473.1 KB).

Weekend 2: Friday 28 to Monday 31 October

The road will be fully closed between Carpenters Lane and ‘The Two Brewers’ pub.

There will be 2 phase temporary traffic signals between Carpenters Lane and Hadlow College. This is to create an additional storage area for our works and access to and from Carpenters Lane.

We will remove the remaining block pavers and apply one layer of asphalt.

From the morning of Monday 31 October to the evening of Friday 4 November the road will be fully open for use.

View a map of the works area, closure points and possible alternative parking locations (PDF, 481.1 KB).

Weekend 3: Friday 4 to Monday 7 November

The road will be closed between Hadlow College and ‘The Two Brewers’ pub.

We will prepare the road for the final layer of asphalt and make sure all areas of the road in the works area are of a good standard. Once the final layer of asphalt is applied the site will be cleared.

The road will be open for traffic during Monday daytime. Some limited, managed access may be available beyond our closure points during this weekend, but this will depend on the progress of work. Please speak to our onsite operatives for guidance.

View a map of the works area, closure points and possible alternative parking locations (PDF, 473.8 KB).

Weeknights: Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 November

The road will be closed between Hadlow College and ‘The Two Brewers’ pub.

Works over these 2 nights will focus on upgrades to drain and inspection covers in the road and laying an anti-skid surface at the signal controlled pedestrian crossing.

We will also replace any road markings.

Some limited, managed access may be available beyond our closure points during these weeknights, but this will depend on the progress of work. Please speak to our onsite operatives for guidance.

The road will be open to daytime traffic during Tuesday. If we meet our planned work schedule the scheme will be completed and open from the morning of Wednesday 9 November.

View a map of the works area, closure points and possible alternative parking locations (PDF, 471.0 KB).

We have written to residents and businesses affected by the resurfacing. Read the start of work notification letter (PDF, 247.1 KB).

We are aware of concerns about public transport disruption during the weekends while the road is closed. Arriva will be providing a shuttle bus service during the weekends of the road closure. More information can be found under the ‘Road closures and diversions' section above.

If you need additional information, let us know via our online reporting tool by selecting 'resurfacing - information required'.