Hated roadworks which have caused six months of misery for drivers now won’t be finished until the new year.

Upgrades to the A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road in Ashford, where the Orbital Park roundabout is being replaced with a traffic light-controlled junction, started in May and have been causing tailbacks ever since.

Work was supposed to be completed in October but delays caused by Operation Brock and issues at the Port of Dover meant the timeline was pushed back to December.

Housebuilder Crest Nicholson – which is funding the scheme named 'Bellamy Gurner' – then said works would finish before Christmas but this has now been pushed back until mid-January.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are on track to meet the revised completion date of mid January 2023 for the Bellamy Gurner scheme.

“The completion date has been revised following previous Operation Brock delays which have had a knock-on effect to the remaining works.

“National Highways has imposed a no lane closure embargo over the Christmas and New Year period.

“Once the restrictions are over, work will recommence promptly and is expected to be completed by mid-January.

“We thank local residents for their patience.”

Disruption on the M20 earlier this year meant contractors were told to hold off works as the A2070 formed part of the ‘official’ six-mile Brock diversion through Ashford.

Construction was also put on hold over the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend and over the summer holidays to ease traffic chaos as far more vehicles than normal were expected to use the road.

The plan first surfaced in the early 2000s and is seen as a way of improving traffic flow in the area.

As part of the project, the Avocet Way junction which leads to the Finberry estate will be upgraded, allowing drivers to turn right onto the A2070 for the first time.

Changes to the roundabout – which will be turned into a traffic light-controlled junction – were supposed to start at Easter but were pushed back twice because of Operation Brock.

National Highways confirmed it will be imposing an embargo on any roadworks at the site over the Christmas period to leave two lanes free for traffic in either direction.