Public consultation has started on a new motorway junction planned for the M20 near Ashford.

People can have their say on the proposed junction 10a until September.

Work on the new junction, which will be just over a quarter of a mile south of junction 10 near Highfield Lane Bridge, is part of the long-term strategy to cope with the town’s growth and to ease traffic at junction 10.

The plans show how the A2070 (Bad Munstereifel Road) will be realigned across the area around Sevington and provide a diagram of a pair of three-lane bridges on the M20 with connections to the A20 (Hythe Road).

The new junction will link up with a major new development at Cheesman’s Green. A footbridge is also planned between Kingsford Street and the A20.

Work is due to start in January, 2012, and the new junction is due to be completed the following year. Since the project was announced, costs have soared from £45million to £56million.

An exhibition on the plans is at Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, Waterbrook Avenue, Sevington.

It opened on Friday and is on Saturday from 10am to 4pm.