A2 road

The A2 is a major road in south-east England, running from London to the port of Dover in Kent. It follows part of an ancient Celtic trackway used by the Romans to link London with Canterbury and three Channel ports. The road crosses several rivers, including the Medway at Rochester, where the Romans built the first bridge. In Anglo-Saxon times it became part of Watling Street. Rochester Bridge was rebuilt in stone in the 14th century and is still maintained by the Rochester Bridge Trust. The A2 has been widened and straightened many times since the 17th century. Turnpike Acts improved sections between Gravesend and Rochester in 1712 and Chatham to Canterbury in 1730. The Dartford Southern By-pass, opened in 1924 by the Prince of Wales, provided work for 63,500 days during the post-war recession. The M2 motorway opened between 1963 and 1965, giving long-distance traffic an alternative route. A section beside Gravesend was rerouted in 2009, and the old route became a cycle path and footpath. Today the A2 starts at Borough in central London near St George the Martyr church. It follows Great Dover Street and Old Kent Road before reaching Shooter’s Hill. East of London the road becomes a dual carriageway with 50 mph limits, then a three-lane route with average-speed cameras. It bypasses Dartford, Gravesend and Chatham, merging into the M2 at Three Crutches. A stretch near Rochester follows the line of the Roman road towards Springhead.