The A2042 is a north-south cross town road in Ashford, Kent. It runs from the entrance to Eastwell Manor in Kennington (a northern suburb) to the A2070Park Farm Junction (a TOTSO) to the south of the town centre.
Route
Ashford International Station on the A2042
The route starts at traffic lights where the A251 TOTSOs and heads south along an urban street called Faversham Road (originally part of the A251). We soon reach the A28 at another set of lights and turn right to multiplex along that road (complete with bus lane); traffic for the A2070 – and hence the other end of the A2042 – is advised to turn left.
The multiplex lasts until the A28 departs just after crossing the M20, leaving the A2042 to run towards the town centre via North Street. There's a brief multiplex with the A292, then the A2042 runs down towards the station along the eastern section of the former Ashford Ringway (which was one-way and numbered A292). The road duals just in time to leave the Ringway (although things have altered so you'd never know) and cross the railway line. It passes the designer shopping outlet (Europe's largest tented structure) and a roundabout which used to have a mini 'Stonehenge' in the middle, only to bear left at the next roundabout until the A2070 steals its thunder spiralling up from Park Farm, Hamstreet, Lydd and Hastings.
Opening Dates
Year
Section
Notes
1992
Ashford: Romney Marsh Road
Beaver Road / Kingsnorth Road Bypass Phase 1: 0.6 mile from B2229 Beaver Road Link at Kimberley Way Roundabout to Wotton Road at Flanders Roundabout. It was described as nearly finished by the Kentish Express of 7 May 1992 and had opened by the 13 August 1992 edition. Cost £3.8 million. Flanders Roundabout was then known as Park Farm Roundabout.
1992
Ashford: Southern Orbital
Bad Munstereifel Road. The extension west of Ashford Business Park to Flanders Roundabout. Reported that it was due to open in September by the Kentish Express of 13 August 1992. Described as newly opened by the 5 November 1992 edition. Flanders Roundabout was then known as Park Farm Roundabout. The section west of Park Farm Junction opened as A2070 but was later renumbered A2042.