Traffic information
Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, Sunday 22nd February 2015 at 9am.
Welcome to our Half Marathon traffic management page. Whether you are visiting this page having seen one of our advance warning signs around the course, or are an interested competitor or spectator, we hope that we can explain what will be happening on the roads around Tunbridge Wells during our event. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
In association with Kent Police and Kent County Council, we are putting in place a series of traffic management measures which will lead to certain junctions being closed or diversions instigated for a short period while the runners go past. Essential measures have been put in place to improve the safety of runners, drivers and race officials, and to improve the flow of traffic around the town during the event. Expect some disruption and delays between 09.00am – 12.00am. Some junctions will only be closed for 10 to 20 minutes, while others may be affected for up to 2 hours. Closures are, however, being kept to an absolute minimum to avoid disruption, but are essential for the safety of runners and drivers. The closures and diversions are detailed fully below.
We hope that residents will make alternative travel arrangements if affected, and come to support the race and runners taking part in the town’s biggest mass-participation sporting event.
Traffic management summary
The course is a single lap anti-clockwise loop, starting and finishing in Southborough, and passing through Bidborough, Penshurst, Fordcombe, Langton Green and Tunbridge Wells.
The southern section of the course is likely to be the most congested, and is detailed in this map.
Northbound traffic will be stopped on the A26 St John’s Road to allow the race to start, and will be allowed to continue after about 10 minutes.
Traffic will not be permitted to join the course from roads within the circuit while the main bulk of runners is passing, and will also not be allowed to turn into these side roads from the clockwise carriageway of the circuit.
Road closures
The following roads will be closed by statutory order (with approximate timings given for the duration of the closure):
| Junction | Detail of Restrictions | Approx Timing |
| A26 London Road j/w B2176 Bidborough Ridge |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0900 to 1000 |
| Darnley Drive j/w St Lawrence Avenue |
Road closed southbound | 0900 to 1000 |
| Woodland Way j/w B2176 Bidborough Ridge |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0900 to 1000 |
| B2176 Bidborough Ridge j/w Gate Farm Road |
No right turn onto B2176 | 0905 to 1010 |
| B2176 Bidborough Ridge j/w High Street |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0905 to 1010 |
| B2176 Penshurst Road j/w Mill Court |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0915 to 1015 |
| B2176 Penshurst Road j/w Haysden Lane |
No right turn onto B2176 | 0915 to 1015 |
| B2176 Penshurst Road j/w Barden Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0915 to 1015 |
| B2176 Rogues Hill j/w Poundsbridge Lane |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0915 to 1015 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w Leigh Road |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0915 to 1015 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w The Warren |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w Glebelands |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| Fordcombe Road j/w Grove Road |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w Smarts Hill |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 New Road j/w service road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Smarts Hill j/w Smarts Hill (to Spotted Dog PH) |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Spring Hill j/w Sandfield Road |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w The Lane |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w Chafford Lane |
No right turn onto B2188 | 0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w Old House Lane |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0920 to 1100 |
| B2188 Fordcombe Road j/w A264 Ashurst Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Ashurst Road j/w A264 Langton Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w The Green (The Hare crossroads) |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Broom Lane |
Left turn only onto A264 | 0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Salisbury Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w First Street |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Stonewall Park |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Farnham Lane |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Barrow Lane |
Left turn only onto A264 | 0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Newlands |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Holmewood Ridge |
No right turn onto A264 | 0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Dornden Drive |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Coach Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Tea Garden Lane |
No right turn onto A264 | 0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Rusthall Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A264 Langton Road j/w Bishops Down Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| Mount Ephraim j/w Molyneux Park Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| Mount Ephraim j/w Boyne Park |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| Mount Ephraim j/w Royal Chase |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| Mount Ephraim j/w Culverden Street |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Mount Ephraim and A26 Grosvenor Road |
No exit from roundabout onto Mount Ephraim | 0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Culverden Park |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w John Street |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Culverden Down |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Beltring Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Southfield Road |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Leighton Close |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
| A26 St John’s Road j/w Floyd Close |
Road closed at junction (entrance and exit) |
0945 to 1130 |
All closed roads will be clearly indicated by normal statutory signage, and will also be manned by race officials for the duration of the event.
Diversions
The following diversions will be put into place to minimise the effect of the above road closures on normal traffic flow:
A264 Langton Green
The A264 will be closed eastbound (towards Langton Green) at the junction with the B2188 Fordcombe Road. All eastbound traffic will be directed in a clockwise direction around the Half Marathon course along the B2188 to Penshurst, and then the B2176 to Bidborough. Access to Tunbridge Wells will then be via the A26 southbound through Southborough.
There will be no restriction of access to the A264 westbound (towards East Grinstead) at the B2110 junction with the A264.
Mount Ephraim (between the Grosvenor Rd roundabout and the A26 London Road)
Mount Ephraim will be closed to westbound traffic between the Grosvenor Road roundabout and the junction with the A26 London Road. Traffic will be diverted through the town centre to rejoin Mount Ephraim via Church Road along the following route: Grosvenor Road, Upper Grosvenor Road, Meadow Road, Goods Station Road, Mount Pleasant Road and Church Road.
All diversions will be easy to follow, with the routes being indicated by normal statutory signage.