Drone pictures have revealed the new lanes that will connect the A249 and the new Stockbury Flyover.

Aerial footage taken this month shows two newly built lanes ready to be connected to the Maidstone and Sheppey-bound carriageways.

Last month National Highways’ M2 Junction 5 project manager, Daniel Rollinson, said if all goes well, the £92 million Stockbury Flyover will be available to traffic in July.

The scheme aims to make journeys easier and safer for motorists travelling between Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Sheppey on the A249.

Currently, part of the new South Green Link Road (the former A249 Maidstone-bound), which will link South Green Lane to Oad Street is closed.

This is for the safety of National Highways’ workforce while drainage improvements take place on the link road and the A249 itself - a stretch that was previously liable to flood in heavy rain.

The link is expected to be open in mid-June but this is subject to favourable weather conditions.

National Highways’ improvements have seen the existing Stockbury roundabout replaced with a new interchange, the flyover, to provide free-flowing movement on the A249.

Two new dedicated free-flowing slip roads are also being created with a left turn for traffic travelling from the A249 Maidstone-bound to the M2 London-bound and a left turn from the A249 Sheppey-bound to the M2 coastbound.

Maidstone Road (the old A249) to the Stockbury Roundabout has been closed and re-routed to link with Oad Street.

The existing junction of Oad Street with the A249 has been closed with a new link provided north of the existing Oad Street to connect with the A249 Stockbury roundabout.

So far the M2 J5 London-bound slip roads have been closed for works to CCTV cameras, the traffic monitoring system and to install permanent road signs.

The A249 northbound exit (towards Sittingbourne) on the Stockbury roundabout was also closed. There are currently no other closures scheduled.

Elsewhere on the National Highways network, on the M2 between junctions 5 and 7, the organisation is carrying out improvements to the drainage and safety barriers

As National Highways needs to remove the old barriers to complete its work, there are narrow lanes on the M2 to keep everyone on the motorway safe, with free recovery for anyone who gets into trouble.

Work started in the central reservation, and in late April the narrow lanes were moved to allow improvements to the drainage and barriers on the hard shoulder to be made.

Because of this, each carriageway needs to be closed for around twelve nights.

Until Monday, May 13, the M2 coastbound between junctions 5 and 6 will be closed overnight Sunday to Friday from 8pm to 6am.

“During the closures a diversion will be in place via the A249, M20, A20 and A2.”

Wednesday, May 15, to Friday 31 (excluding Friday May 24 to Monday 27 May) the M2 London-bound between junctions 7 and 5 will be closed overnight Sunday to Friday from 8pm to 6am.

During the closures a diversion will be in place via the A2, A20, M20 and A249.

A National Highways spokesperson said: “We’re due to complete our improvements in summer 2024, when the narrow lanes will be removed.

“This work is subject to favourable weather conditions, for example heavy rain may affect the progress.”