Galley Hill Road
On 10 April 2023 a portion of the northern edge of the Swanscombe Quarry collapsed causing a landslide. It led to a lot of chalk and other materials falling to the quarry floor, onto business premises below.
The landslide also took part of the road and footpath of Galley Hill Road. This road is on the chalk above the old quarry site. This, in turn, caused considerable damage to the highway's utility infrastructure. Local phone and broadband services were also affected.
What we're doing
At the beginning of March, KCC leader Roger Gough wrote to government expressing the need for renewed government support for the vital reinstatement of A226 Galley Hill Road.
The letter highlighted the significant congestion and disruption throughout Dartford and Gravesham, as well as the severe impacts to the local communities due to diverted traffic, including many HGVs, using unsuitable alternative routes.
Given the current government’s drive for economic and housing sector growth, the letter outlined how restoring the route is vital for the successful delivery of key strategic housing allocations. Dartford Borough Council’s Local Plan proposes 9,000 to 18,000 new jobs and 11,900 homes by 2037. The current network is already experiencing high levels of congestion as a result of the collapse, and further housing development is unlikely to proceed without the reestablishment of the vital A226 link.
The reinstatement of the sustainable transport Fastrack Bus Rapid Transport Network (BRT) was also cited as a vital priority for Kent, along with the restoration of full local Arriva bus services, which have been severely impacted, with links between Gravesham and Dartford either being delayed or cancelled due to congestion.
In his letter, Mr Gough also set out the huge amount of work that we have carried out since the collapse, including but not limited to:
- making the site safe, permanently fencing it off with palisade fencing and CCTV to ensure public safety
- implementing a traffic regulation order to close the road indefinitely and providing a diversion route with permanent signage for traffic. Junction priorities have been changed to improve local traffic flows, as well as implementing weight restrictions in Swanscombe to deter HGVs from using inappropriate roads
- facilitating the isolation and diversion of all utility apparatus away from Galley Hill Road onto the adjacent local roads, and removing all apparatus left suspended by the initial collapse
- seeking advice from a renowned geotechnical expert and, based on his initial report, commissioning a suite of surveys to investigate the stability of the chalk spine to inform remedial options and to establish the initial cause of the collapse
- engaging a legal team at the outset to ensure that we followed due process to safeguard the council’s position for the anticipated litigation to recover the losses incurred from any responsible parties
- commissioning an Options Paper from consultants offering preliminary designs for remedial options and high-level costs based on the geotechnical findings from the survey work.
Due to the unprecedented nature of the project to reinstate Galley Hill, there has been no funding within our budgets for any of the above or the continuing work required to progress the remedial scheme to tender and construction.
Now we have designs and indicative costs for the remedial works, Mr Gough has requested an urgent meeting with government ministers to discuss funding provision to move forward with the works to reinstate Galley Hill Road.
Last updated: 18 March 2025
The road remains closed. View the diversion route:
The alternative route for pedestrians is via:
- High Street
- Stanhope Road
- cycle track from Thames Way to Stanhope Road
- A226 Thames Way
- A226 Stonebridge Road
- A226 Galley Hill Road and vice versa.
There are temporary restrictions on some roads in Galley Hill. This is to encourage drivers to keep to the diversion route. Permanent signs are in place alongside temporary restrictions along the diversion route.
Traffic lights at either end of the diversion are off. We have made changes to the lights at High Street Swanscombe and Galley Hill Road. This is to help traffic flow freely.
As the area is very populated and traffic flow is high, congestion may still remain.
Due to the closure of Galley Hill Road, bus routes in the area have changed. Below is a list of route changes in the area affected.
You can find timetables for an Arriva services on the Arriva website.
Services affected are:
480, 490 and 491
Since 28 July 2024, routes 470, 480 and 490 have been standardised to operate up to every 10 minutes between Gravesend and Dartford via Swanscombe and Bluewater. All journeys now follow the same route and are numbered as 480. Journeys east of Gravesend are numbered 490/491 and can be accessed via a change of bus at Gravesend. Through ticketing is available between 480/490/491.
Between Ebbsfleet Stadium and Swanscombe George and Dragon, Route 480 operates via:
- Thames Way
- Ebbsfleet Gateway
- Southfleet Road
- Stanhope Road
- High Street.
Fastrack B/F
From 5 April 2025, Fastrack B operates up to every 12 minutes via A2. This service runs fast between Ebbsfleet International Station and Bluewater Bus Station. New Route F operates up to every 12 minutes between Manor Way Roundabout and Bluewater Bus Station via Greenhithe Station. Through ticketing is available between Routes B and F via a change of bus at Bluewater at no additional cost.
These changes are temporary, and once vehicle access is restored to Galley Hill Road, it is planned that Fastrack B will return to Ingress Park and Swanscombe. Read more information about the Fastrack services.
Fastrack AZ
Fastrack AZ now runs on the A2 between Ebbsfleet International Station and Greenhithe Station. It no longer goes to Ingress Park or Swanscombe.
For Ingress Park, use Fastrack F and interchange with Fastrack A/AZ at Greenhithe Station.
For Swanscombe, the nearest Fastrack stop is the Manor Way Roundabout stop (Fastrack F).
Ebbsfleet Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) and Route GC1
Go-Coach operate the Ebbsfleet DRT service providing on-demand bus service for the wider Ebbsfleet area. Areas served include:
- Castle Hill
- Ebbsfleet Green
- Ebbsfleet International
- Swanscombe
- Greenhithe
- Alkerden
- Bluewater
- Darent Valley Hopsital
- Stone Crossing
- Springhead
- Northfleet.
This service operates from 6am to 1am Monday to Saturday, and 6am to midnight Sundays and Bank Holidays.
On Monday to Friday peak times, Route GC1 now operates between Ebbsfleet International and Greenhithe via Ebbsfleet Green, Castle Hill and Swanscombe. This peak time service is designed to connect residents with local railway stations at commuting times.
Find out more information about the Ebbsfleet Demand Responsive Transport and peak time GC1 route.
3 (school route)
This service now runs via a new route. It serves:
- Springhead Park
- Southfleet Road
- Stanhope Road
- Swanscombe High Street.
34 (school route)
This service now runs via a new route. It serves Castle Hill (Ebbsfleet) and uses:
- Southfleet Road
- Stanhope Road
- Swanscombe High Street to reach London Road.
Recent improvements
Image shows the road construction site with workers, barriers, and construction vehicles.
Image shows cone going into the road to test the strength of the cliff makeup. In the background a rig is digging holes in the road.
Utilities
All utilities have now been diverted away from Galley Hill Road to ensure continued service.
For any issues with power, water or broadband, contact your supplier.
Who to contact if your property or business has been affected
At this stage we cannot offer any further information on the cause of the landslide, how it will be remedied or how long the road will be closed.
If you have concerns regarding the affect or impact the issue is having on your property or your business, then your initial point of contact should be your insurers.