Major work to replace a roundabout with traffic lights now won't finish until March as cold weather has delayed the laying of tarmac.

Engineers began ripping out the Orbital Park roundabout on A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road in Ashford in May, with the work initially set to end in October.

After several push backs, it was then set to finish on Friday.

But National Highways says the cold snap in January meant workers couldn't lay tarmac, meaning the ‘Bellamy Gurner’ scheme is now scheduled to end next month.

Harish Popat, National Highways programme delivery manager, said: “We thank road users for their patience and understanding while we create a new signalised junction on the A2070 in place of the existing Orbital Park roundabout and Avocet Way junction.

"This work is part of the new Finberry housing development and was expected to finish soon, however delays have occurred due to the cold weather in January.

"We expect to finish in March and when complete the new layout will increase capacity for both pedestrians and road users.”

When asked for more details on what problems the weather has caused, a National Highways spokesman said: "The main issue was the curing of the new road surface in such cold weather which had a knock-on effect. There weren’t any other issues causing the delays."

It is not clear when in March the work will finish, but traffic website one.network predicts roadworks will last in the area until Friday, March 3.

While contractors from FM Conway are close to finishing up, some parts of the new road layout remain closed, and others are yet to be completed.

New traffic lights, which will eventually control the flow of traffic across the four-way junction, have been installed but temporary lights are still being used.

The new turning which will allow drivers to turn right out of Finberry's Avocet Way for the first time is also yet to be finished.

Once complete, drivers will also be able to turn right into the estate from the A2070.

In a statement, housebuilder Crest Nicholson, which is funding the scheme, thanked residents for their "ongoing patience".

“The civil works are largely complete, meaning most of the junction is now operational, including the slip roads, which has improved traffic flow," a spokeswoman said.

"We are now commissioning the traffic lights and undertaking finishing works, such as landscaping, with all traffic management expected to be removed in March."