Tonbridge Roadworks This Week: Kings Road and M20 Nights

Updated 5 October 2026. The gas main works around Kings Road are the long job in town, and a new batch of closures starts on 19 October. The biggest of those shuts Priory Road under the railway bridge, round the clock, through half-term.

Kings Road, Lodge Oak Lane and Tudeley Lane. Kent County Council made the order for gas main replacement on eight streets in the Somerhill and Lodge Oak area from Monday 28 September, for up to 141 days. That would take it to about the middle of February 2027. Parking is banned on all eight streets, and Tudeley Lane has no signed diversion. (Kent County Council notice dated 25 September 2026)

The M20 westbound closes between junctions 3 and 1 for four nights, Monday 5 to Thursday 8 October, 22:00 to 05:30, for hazardous tree removal. Junction 3 is where the M26 joins, so this is the route to the M25 at Swanley from Kings Hill and West Malling. Nothing is listed on the A21 Tonbridge bypass itself this week. (National Highways closure report, updated 2 October 2026)

Kent County Council’s new Tonbridge and Malling batch, dated 2 October, adds eleven closures from 9 October. All but one are only proposed so far. The three that matter most:

• Priory Road, Tonbridge, either side of the railway bridge, for Network Rail bridge maintenance. Nights only, 22:00 to 05:00, from 19 to 23 October. Then closed 24 hours a day from 22:00 on 24 October to 05:00 on 2 November. The diversion is via Goldsmid Road, the A2014 Pembury Road and the B2260 Quarry Hill Road.
• Lower Street, Hildenborough, from Rings Hill to Philpots Lane, for water main renewal, for up to 159 days from 19 October. Traffic goes via Philpots Lane and Rings Hill.
• New Hythe Lane, Larkfield, from the parish council office to number 152, for up to ten days from 23 October, for foul water diversion works.

(Kent County Council notice dated 2 October 2026)

On the railway, no trains run to or from London Charing Cross or Waterloo East on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October. Tonbridge’s Ramsgate and Dover trains go to London Victoria, and Hastings line trains to London Bridge. Then no trains run between Tonbridge and Wadhurst from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November. Full detail: Tonbridge rail closures this autumn. (Southeastern)

The single most useful thing to know about the roads is that no one authority runs them here. Get that right and you will look in the correct place first time.

Where to check what is shut today

• One.Network is the national roadworks map and the one to start with. It carries county works, utility works and closures on the same map. one.network
• Kent County Council is the highway authority for almost every road in the borough. Its roadworks pages carry the county’s own maintenance programme. kent.gov.uk roadworks
• Kent Traffic Information is the county’s live incident and roadworks feed, with active and planned tables. kenttraffic.info
• National Highways covers the A21, M20, M26 and M25 only. County listings do not include them. nationalhighways.co.uk/travel-updates
• Statutory notices are where closures are legally announced, usually a fortnight ahead and often before they appear anywhere else. Search your street on the Public Notice Portal.

Who runs which road

This matters more than it sounds. If your journey is disrupted on the A21 and you report it to Kent County Council, or search the county map for M20 delays, you will find nothing, because those roads belong to National Highways.

The practical shape of the borough is two corridors that barely meet. Tonbridge sits on the A21 and the A26 at the south-west corner. The M20 runs across the north, and Kings Hill, West Malling, Larkfield, Aylesford and Snodland hang off its junctions 4 and 5. The A227 through Borough Green is the main road between the two halves, and it is a single-carriageway road doing a job the map suggests should belong to a dual carriageway.

The A21 and the motorways this week

National Highways publishes a seven-day closure report. The current edition was updated on 2 October and covers Friday 2 to Thursday 8 October 2026. Its weekend Pembury slip road closures have run. What is left:

• M20 westbound, junction 3 to junction 1, the whole carriageway closed 22:00 to 05:30 on the nights of Monday 5 to Thursday 8 October, for hazardous tree removal. Junction 3 is the M26 junction, so this is the westbound run towards Swanley and the M25 from the north of the borough.
• M20 westbound, junction 6 exit slip and distributor road, closed 20:00 to 06:00 on the same four nights, for inspection works between junctions 7 and 4. Junction 6 is the A229 for Maidstone and Chatham, just east of the borough.
• M25 anticlockwise, junction 5 link road, closed 22:00 to 05:30 on the night of Tuesday 6 October, for emergency safety fence repairs between junctions 6 and 5. That is where the A21 meets the M25.
• A21 both directions, Kippings Cross to Forstal Farm, closed 20:00 to 06:00 on the night of Thursday 8 October, for horticulture work. Kippings Cross is south of Pembury, about seven miles south-east of Tonbridge, on the way to Lamberhurst.
• Nothing is listed on the A21 Tonbridge bypass, the M26, or at M20 junctions 4 and 5, the Leybourne, Kings Hill and Aylesford junctions.

The report lists full closures only. Lane closures and speed limits that leave a road open do not appear in it.

(National Highways road closure report, the edition updated 2 October 2026 and covering 2 to 8 October)

Closures dated in the borough

Kent County Council advertises its temporary closures as statutory notices before the cones appear. A new Tonbridge and Malling batch was published on 1 October, dated 2 October. The list below combines it with the orders from the notice dated 25 September that have still to run or are running now.

“Order made” means the council has decided. “Proposed” means it intends to and has not yet. The distinction is in the notice and it is worth reading, because a proposed closure can move or be dropped.

Two things to know about that list. A closure listed as “on or after” a date can slip: the duration is a maximum, not a promise. And Welland Road, Tonbridge, proposed in the 11 September notice for up to 13 days from 21 September, never reappeared in a later batch. That period has now passed, and we could not confirm whether the works ran.

Five to plan around:

• Kings Road, Lodge Oak Lane, Tudeley Lane and five more streets, Tonbridge. Order made for up to 141 days from 28 September. Kings Road closes in two phases, first near Goldsmid Road, then from Lodge Oak Lane to number 51. Tudeley Lane closes from Lodge Oak Lane to Five Oak Green Road with no alternative route. Parking goes on Goldsmid Road and the whole of Gorham Drive as well. Street by street.
• Priory Road, Tonbridge. Proposed to close either side of the railway bridge, 22:00 to 05:00 on the nights of 19 to 23 October, then continuously from 22:00 on Saturday 24 October to 05:00 on Monday 2 November. That is the same nine days the railway between Tonbridge and Wadhurst is shut. The signed diversion is Goldsmid Road, the A2014 Pembury Road and the B2260 Quarry Hill Road.
• Lower Street, Hildenborough. Proposed to close from Rings Hill to Philpots Lane for up to 159 days from 19 October, for water main renewal. That would run to late March 2027. Traffic goes via Philpots Lane and Rings Hill.
• Riding Lane, Hildenborough. Proposed to close from Riding Park to Hildenborough Road for up to eight nights from 13 October, 20:00 to 05:00. The signed diversion runs via the B245, Dry Hill Park Road and the A227 Shipbourne Road.
• West Malling High Street on farmers’ market Sundays. A new order is proposed to close the High Street between Water Lane and Swan Street from 06:00 to 15:00 on the fourth Sunday of every month, from 25 October, for up to 548 days. Through traffic goes via Town Hill, the A20 and the A228 Ashton Way.

Just over the border, at Paddock Wood. Kent County Council also proposes to close the junctions of the B2017 Badsell Road, Mascalls Court Road and the B2160 Maidstone Road, for highway improvement works, for up to 209 days from 19 October. Badsell Road is the road from Tonbridge through Five Oak Green, and Paddock Wood is about five miles east of Tonbridge, in Tunbridge Wells borough. Badsell Road traffic is signed via the A228. (Kent County Council, Tunbridge Wells notice dated 2 October 2026)

Trains: Charing Cross shuts on 10 and 11 October

This week, late evenings, Monday 5 to Thursday 8 October: from 23:05 until the end of service, trains via Maidstone East are diverted after Otford via Sevenoaks. Replacement buses run between Sevenoaks and Maidstone East, calling at all stations except East Malling, and a minibus runs between West Malling and East Malling. (Southeastern, 5 to 8 October)

Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October: no trains to or from London Charing Cross or London Waterloo East.

• Ramsgate and Dover trains via Tonbridge run to and from London Victoria, calling additionally at Orpington, and at Hildenborough on the Saturday. On the Sunday they run between Victoria and Ashford International only.
• Hastings line trains run to and from London Bridge, non-stop between London Bridge and Tonbridge by an alternative route. On the Saturday, trains between London Bridge and Tunbridge Wells do not run.
• On the Saturday, Maidstone East line trains run to and from London Victoria and call additionally at Bromley South.

(Southeastern, 10 and 11 October)

The rest of October

• Monday 12 to Thursday 15 October, late evenings: the last Dover and Canterbury West trains from London (23:40 from Cannon Street on Monday and Tuesday, 23:34 from Charing Cross on Wednesday and Thursday) run non-stop from London Bridge to Ashford. Buses run between Tonbridge and Headcorn, and Southeastern asks passengers for Sevenoaks and Tonbridge to use earlier trains. (Southeastern, 12 to 16 October)
• Monday 12 to Friday 16 October, mornings: off-peak Victoria to Ashford trains via Maidstone East run hourly from 08:20 until about 12:00. The 08:25 from London Victoria is diverted via Tonbridge, calling additionally at Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Pluckley. (Same notice.)
• Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October: the lines between Lewisham and Orpington are closed. Ramsgate and Dover trains via Tonbridge run to and from London Victoria. Hastings line trains run at different times and take an alternative route between London Bridge and Orpington. On the Saturday, stopping trains between Charing Cross and Tunbridge Wells do not run. (Southeastern, 17 and 18 October)
• Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November: buses replace trains between Tonbridge and Wadhurst for nine days, for the renewal of worn slab track in Grove Hill Tunnel just south of Tunbridge Wells. On Sunday 1 November the buses run through to Battle. (Southeastern, 24 October to 1 November)

Full journey times, fares and season prices are on our Tonbridge trains to London page.

On foot: the racecourse bridge has gone

The pedestrian bridge linking Lower Castle Fields car park with Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground was lifted out by crane between 21 and 24 July 2026. It had been closed to pedestrians earlier in the year after inspections found a corroded subframe and movement in the abutments. Installed in 1994 as a temporary structure while Tonbridge Swimming Pool was being built, it had reached the end of its life.

The council has made no decision on whether to replace it. In the meantime the sportsground is still reachable using the alternative pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool, and the lower section of Lower Castle Fields car park lost spaces during the removal. (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council)

Parking

There is no park and ride serving Tonbridge. The options are the station car parks or the council’s town-centre car parks.

Station parking is run by APCOA. Car Park A has 258 spaces and charges £10.30 Tuesday to Thursday, £9.80 on Monday and Friday, £8.90 from 10:00, £4.50 from 18:00, £7.40 on Saturday and £5.80 on Sunday. A parking season is £1,616 a year. Blue Badge holders park free once registered. (APCOA)

Council car parks in Tonbridge are all pay and display, including Upper Castle Field (TN9 1BH) for the castle and High Street, and Lower Castle Fields by the river. You can pay cash or by RingGo. The council’s car park finder lists locations and current charges, and it is the right place to check before you assume a tariff, because they are reviewed each year.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I check Tonbridge roadworks today?

Start with one.network, which shows county and utility works on one map. For the A21, M20, M26 and M25, check National Highways instead, because county maps do not cover trunk roads.

Is the A21 closed at Tonbridge this week?

Not the Tonbridge bypass. National Highways lists no closures on it between 2 and 8 October. Further south, the A21 closes in both directions between Kippings Cross and Forstal Farm, near Lamberhurst, from 20:00 to 06:00 on the night of Thursday 8 October.

Which roads are closed in Tonbridge town this month?

The big one is the gas main replacement around Kings Road, Lodge Oak Lane and Tudeley Lane, with its order made for up to 141 days from 28 September. Priory Road is proposed to close at the railway bridge on the nights of 19 to 23 October, then round the clock from 24 October to 2 November.

How long will the Lodge Oak Lane gas works last?

Up to 141 days from 28 September 2026, which would take them to about the middle of February 2027. Kent County Council made the order in its notice dated 25 September. The eight streets affected.

When is Priory Road closed?

Kent County Council proposes to close Priory Road either side of the railway bridge from 22:00 to 05:00 on 19 to 23 October, then continuously from 22:00 on 24 October to 05:00 on 2 November, for Network Rail bridge maintenance. The diversion is via Goldsmid Road, Pembury Road and Quarry Hill Road.

Is Lower Street in Hildenborough closing?

Yes, if the proposed order goes ahead. It would close between Rings Hill and Philpots Lane for up to 159 days from 19 October, for water main renewal.

Is the M20 or the M26 closed this week?

The M20 westbound is closed between junctions 3 and 1 from 22:00 to 05:30 on the nights of Monday 5 to Thursday 8 October. Nothing is listed on the M26 or at M20 junctions 4 and 5. The M25 anticlockwise link road at junction 5 closes on the night of Tuesday 6 October.

Who is responsible for the A21 through Tonbridge?

National Highways. The A21 Tonbridge bypass is a trunk road, as are the M20, M26 and M25. Kent County Council is the highway authority for the A26, A227, A228, A20, A25 and every local street in the borough.

Are trains from Tonbridge affected this weekend?

Yes, on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October. No trains run to or from London Charing Cross or Waterloo East. Ramsgate and Dover trains run to London Victoria and Hastings line trains to London Bridge. The line between Tonbridge and Wadhurst closes for nine days from Saturday 24 October.

Is there a park and ride in Tonbridge?

No. The station car parks and the council’s town-centre pay-and-display car parks are the options.

What happened to the footbridge at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground?

It was removed between 21 and 24 July 2026 after structural inspections found a corroded subframe and movement in the abutments. No decision has been taken on replacing it. Use the pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool instead.

Related

• Tonbridge trains to London: journey times, fares and station parking.
• Things to do in Tonbridge, including how to reach Haysden and Leybourne Lakes.
• Tonbridge planning news: the Local Plan and the infrastructure attached to it.

Sources

• One.Network, Kent County Council roadworks, Kent Traffic Information and National Highways travel updates for live works.
• Public Notice Portal, Kent County Council traffic notices for the Tonbridge and Malling area dated 2 October 2026 and dated 25 September 2026, and for the Tunbridge Wells area dated 2 October 2026, for the dated closures.
• National Highways road closure report, the edition updated 2 October 2026 and covering 2 to 8 October, for the A21, M20, M25 and M26 closures.
• Southeastern engineering notices for 5 to 8 October, 10 and 11 October, 12 to 16 October, 17 and 18 October and 24 October to 1 November.
• Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, footbridge removal and its sportsground bridge questions and answers.
• APCOA, Tonbridge Station Car Park A and the council’s car park finder.

Last checked 5 October 2026. Dated closures are advertised as “on or after” and can move, and a closure marked “proposed” has not yet been made. Check the live maps above before you travel.