Bid submitted to back Maidstone

17th July 2017

The Government is being called upon to back a bid to improve the local road network at Junction 7 of the M20 in Maidstone in order to reduce traffic congestion and speed up the creation of new jobs at Kent Medical Campus. 

A bid for £4m to the Government’s National Productivity Investment Fund, has been submitted by Kent County Council and Maidstone Borough Council after it secured a further £1.5m from Kent Medical Campus.

If approved it would fund the upgrading of the two roundabouts close to Junction 7 of the M20 at Bearsted Road and New Cut Road, stimulate new jobs at Kent Medical Campus, part of the North Kent Enterprise Zone, and support residential development.

The Councils had previously backed a bid from the Government’s Local Growth Fund to improve Junction 7, but it was nationally four times oversubscribed and other parts of the country received the financial support for infrastructure.

Councillor Fran Wilson, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, said: “It’s important that we constantly look to improve the area’s infrastructure and creation of jobs at Kent Medical Campus, which is why we’ve earmarked £500,000 towards the project. The funding will help Maidstone keep pace with housing growth and new jobs, as is being done down the M20 at the new Junction 10a at Ashford.

“The economic case for improving the road network is a compelling one. We hope that the bid, developed with Kent County Council and supported by Highways England will be well received by the Department for Transport.”

With Kent Medical Campus earmarked as an Enterprise Zone by the Government and able to provide financial incentives to companies choosing to invest there, the Maidstone site has already seen a significant rise in the number of enquiries.