A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet junction improvements

Supporting economic development and housing growth in north Kent around the A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet junctions.

Start date 2019-20

End date 2022-23

Cost £112m

Latest updates

27 October 2021
Latest newsletter now available

Please click here to view a copy of our latest project newsletter, which provides information about what has been happening as well as the upcoming construction programme which is as follows:

Autumn 2021
- We’ll start construction outside Hope Cottages to install the green wall barrier and the new turning head which will allow residents of Hope Cottages a turning point by Bean bridge.
- The new bridge at Bean is expected to open to traffic from late November 2021.
- Construction starts to the structure which will support the new coastbound entry
  slip-road at Bean.
Winter 2021/2022
- Complete work, with both junctions fully open to traffic in Spring 2022.
- Activation of the new technology and traffic signals.
Spring 2022
- Both junctions fully opened for traffic.
If you require a printed version of our newsletter please let us know by emailing the scheme inbox A2BeanandEbbsfleetJunctionsImprovements@highwaysengland.co.uk or calling our Customer Contact Centre on 0300 12 35 000.

All newsletters will also appear in the 'Newsletters' section below.

25 October 2021

Closures Update

Bean (South) roundabout partial closure - 4 October to 1 November

A small section of the western side of the Bean (south) roundabout will be closed 24/7 until Monday 1 November. Road users wishing to join the A2 London-bound carriageway (from the direction of Bean village) will need to continue over the Bean Lane bridge, travel around the roundabout, then return back south over the bridge to join the A2 via the designated slip.

Ebbsfleet closures - 19 October to 26 October

From 6am on Tuesday 19 October through to 6am on Tuesday 26 October, there will be a full closure of the A2 London-bound entry slip road at the Ebbsfleet junction. This closure will be in place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the A2 London-bound exit slip road at the Ebbsfleet junction will be closed overnight (from 9.30pm to 6am). This slip road will be open during the day (6am to 9.30pm).

During this period there will also be 24/7 lane closures on both the eastern and western roundabouts and the A2260 link between the two roundabouts.

West roundabout – closure of the eastern side of the roundabout
East roundabout – closure of the southern and western side of the roundabout

Diversions

London-bound entry slip road - Road users will be diverted down the A2260 and A2 link road to the Pepperhill / Tollgate junction to join the A2
London-bound exit slip road - Road users will be diverted along the A2 to the Bean junction, exit at Bean and travel north on Bean Lane, then take the 3rd exit at the roundabout into the A296 to re-join the A2 coastbound carriageway to exit at Ebbsfleet
A2260 to Ackers Drive - Road users will be diverted down the A2260 and A2 link road to the Pepperhill / Tollgate junction to join the A2 London-bound carriageway, exiting at Ebbsfleet

Bean (North) roundabout partial closure - 27 October to 25 November

From Wednesday 27 October, for approximately four weeks, there will be a partial closures of the Bean (north) roundabout (near to the old Ightham Cottages), as work continues.

Parts of the roundabout adjacent to Bean Lane will be closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Road users wishing to access Bean village or the A2 London-bound carriageway from the B255 will need to travel on the free flow towards the A296 roundabout (Bean Lane), go around the roundabout then head south to the Bean (south) roundabout. From here you can access Bean village or the A2 London-bound carriageway.

This access will be in place for cars / vehicles under 6ft 6in only (this includes emergency vehicles and school buses).

Any vehicles over this width will need to join the A2 coastbound carriageway and continue to Tollgate junction, whereby they will be able to return on the London-bound carriageway. Please be aware that the width restriction is in place in one direction only between the A296 roundabout and Bean northern roundabout, heading northbound on this section will remain unaffected.

A2 Overnight Closures

Below are the latest planned overnight closures (please remember all closures are subject to change).

Clearly signed diversions will be in place.

Monday 25 October

A2 London-bound carriageway from Ebbsfleet to the M25 (9.30pm to 6am)

A2 Pepperhill London-bound entry slip road (8pm to 6am)

A2 coastbound carriageway between the exit and entry slip roads at Bean (9.30pm to 6am)

Tuesday 26 October for four nights (10.30pm to 6am)

B255/Bluewater Parkway southbound

A296 Watling Street between Darenth Wood Road roundabout and the Bean Lane roundabout in both directions

A2 Bean London-bound entry and exit slip roads

Bean north roundabout, and Bean Lane in both directions between the north and south roundabouts

26 August 2021

New bridge installed at Bean

Over the weekend of 21/22 August, we successfully used large cranes to lower the new bridge deck into position at the Bean junction.

The images below show the bridge being lowered into position, and a demonstration as to why we needed to close the A2 and Bean Lane bridge for the weekend.

A time-lapse video showing the installation of the bridge deck can be found here

We'd like to thank all our customers and the local community for their patience and cooperation during the closure.

A2260 footpath closure – Friday 27 August

The footpath along the A2260 northbound at Ebbsfleet will be closed on Friday 27 August, whilst essential work takes place.

The closure will be in place from 9am for approximately six hours.

A shuttle bus service will be in place for any pedestrians / cyclists, who would usually use the footpath. The area will be marshalled, and the shuttle bus will be called as required.

The bus will be COVID safe by being cleaned in between uses, only having limited numbers onboard and will include a track and trace system.
02 June 2020

Scheme gets government go ahead

We've received notification from the Secretary of State for Transport that the A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet junction improvements scheme can proceed to construction. The Inspector’s report into the October 2019 public inquiry has been published and the Secretary of State for Transport has issued his decision into the Scheme proposals by way of a Decision Letter and accompanying Annex. The Decision Letter, Annex and Inspectors Report can be viewed in the “Decision Letter and Inspectors Report” section in the documents area below.

Copies of the annotated confirmed, with modifications, Side Roads Order, Compulsory Purchase Order and annotated made, with modifications, Slip Roads and Roundabout Order and the relevant Notices are now available to view in the Confirmed and Made Orders section in the documents area below.

Following publication of the Compulsory Purchase Order Confirmation Notice on 25 June 2020, we have now begun the process of compulsory acquisition of the land required to construct the scheme. The process is being undertaken through General Vesting Declaration (GVD) which will transfer the ownership of land required to Highways England.

We continue to carry out work in the central reservation of the A2 to remove the barrier and break out concrete to facilitate new drainage. We are also installing our new work compound which is located at Pepperhill and have been preparing both the access and car park for surfacing so they are fit for purpose.

We undertake work in both day and night shifts to ensure safety to all and minimal disruption to our road users. Where night-time work is required, we set up lane closures for the safety of both our workforce and the travelling public.

See more updates

Project information

At the Bean junction we'll make the roundabout to the north of the A2 significantly bigger, and controlled by traffic lights. The roundabout to the south of the A2 will also be made bigger while generally keeping the existing layout. There will be a new bridge over the A2 to provide extra capacity, located to the east of the existing Bean Lane bridge. This existing bridge will then be used for northbound traffic, and a new slip road constructed onto the A2 for eastbound traffic.

For Ebbsfleet junction the proposals will broadly follow the existing road layout with enlarged roundabouts controlled by traffic lights. The road between the roundabouts will be widened to a dual carriageway. The slip roads from the A2 will be retained and the slip roads to the A2 widened.

The improvements will support economic development, including jobs and housing growth as well as increase road capacity to support future growth. Journey times at both junctions will improve with increased capacity for all road users as well as better safety.

Statutory Consultation 2018

Consultation 2017

We published the Orders for the A2 Bean and Ebbsfleet junction improvements scheme under the Highways Act 1980 on 14 February 2019 and submitted both the Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order to the Secretary of State for Transport for confirmation. The associated Section 10 Line Order was published in draft by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Following objections to the Scheme proposals, a public inquiry was held in October 2019 where an independent planning inspector heard evidence from us and interested parties. The Inspectors Report (dated 6 January 2020) was completed and issued to the Secretary of State.

The initial published Orders, Environmental Statement and other supporting documentation, along with our Statement of Case and proposed modifications in connection with the October 2019 public inquiry can still be viewed within the documents area below.

If you have difficulty accessing any of the documents please contact us and we will try to supply you directly with an electronic copy.

Secretary of State Decision Letter

The Secretary of State, on 27 May 2020, confirmed with modifications both the Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order and made with modifications the Slip Roads and Roundabout Order. He subsequently issued a Decision Letter (dated 2 June 2020) with accompanying Annex to Highways England and those parties represented at the Public Inquiry.

Confirmed and Made Orders

Following issue of the Secretary of State Decision Letter and accompanying Annex as identified above, we prepared copies of the confirmed, with modifications, Side Roads Order, Compulsory Purchase Order and a copy of the made, with modifications, Slip Roads and Roundabout Order.

The Secretary of State has been unable to issue the official copies of the confirmed and made Orders and accompanying Maps due to COVID-19 restrictions currently in place. Therefore in the interim, an annotated version of the confirmed, with modifications, Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order and an annotated version of the made, with modifications, Slip Roads and Roundabout Order. The three Orders (marked in red, in line with the modifications put forward at the public inquiry and further changes included in the Decision Letter and Annex) have been prepared by us to allow continuation of the Statutory Processes.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need for social distancing, it is not possible for us to deposit a physical copy of the annotated version of the Orders at a document viewing location. However they can be viewed electronically below:

The Compulsory Purchase Order Confirmation Notice is due for formal publication on 25 June 2020. This will be the start of the 6 weeks High Court Challenge period for the Compulsory Purchase Order.

General Vesting Declarations

Following publication of the Compulsory Purchase Order Confirmation Notice on 25 June 2020, we have now begun the process of compulsory acquisition of the land required to construct the scheme. The process is being undertaken through General Vesting Declaration (GVD) which will transfer the ownership of land required to Highways England.

The relevant GVD’s and their accompanying plans and copies of the Notice of Making and relevant Notices of Making for Unknown Ownership land are available to view under ‘General Vesting Declarations’ in the documents section of this page.