PEOPLE living with one of the busiest roads in Britain fear their plight has gone to the back of the queue.

A series of measures, designed to improve noise, pollution and safety along the Bexley stretch of the A2 face delays.

The latest casualties are trees meant to screen noise and exhaust pollution, which were promised for the Rochester Drive area of the dual carriageway.

The trees were to replace those which died or were cut down by Transport for London (TfL) contractors in 2003.

London Assembly member Bob Neill says he has been told the planting will not take place until the spring of next year at the earliest.

He claims TfL approved the replanting in September last year and the trees were meant to be in place by March.

Contractors asked for an extension until May but also failed to meet that deadline. Now the company, Mouchel Parkman, says weather conditions may prevent any planting this year.

Mr Neill described the delay as "an unbelievable example of bureaucratic incompetence".

Ian Lindon, chairman of the A2 (Bexley) Enviromental Campaign which has called for better conditions for people living along the A2 for nearly 10 years, said the news was "very disappointing".

The group is still pressing for promised acoustic fencing, which would also improve conditions for residents.

"It is still in the pipeline," said Mr Lindon. "But we have been told TfL is running out of money to pay for it.

New railings on the Bexley bridges over the A2 have also been delayed for two years, again because of cash shortages. "We understand the work will be done at the end of this year. Two years ago, we were told six weeks."

Mr Lindon, who also chairs Bexley's local Agenda 21 on traffic and transport focus group, has been asking why the A2 work keeps going to the back of the queue but cannot get any answers.

Now residents are concerned most of the projected extra 5,000 vehicles a day coming to Bexley via the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge, will also end up on the A2.

A TfL spokesman denied any A2 projects were delayed because of a lack of cash.

She said the tree planting would go ahead as soon as it was possible and work would begin on replacing the footbridge railings at the beginning of July.

"TFL is currently doing a feasibility study across its whole network to formulate a noise strategy. Nothing has been promised on acoustic fencing until that work is done," she added.