Motorists are being warned to brace for part of the M20 to be closed over several days - overlapping with bus and rail strikes.

Highways bosses have warned that the carriageway closures are expected to have a "major impact" on local traffic around Ashford and Westenhanger, near Folkestone.

Drivers using the motorway are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra time if they are travelling between Junction 11 for Westenhanger and Junction 10A for Ashford Sevington.

National Highway has announced it plans to carry out major work on Grove Bridge, which spans the motorway between the two junctions.

Workers will be replacing the bridge joints, kerbs, resurfacing and waterproofing the bridge deck over several nights and days starting this weekend.

The London-bound carriageway will be closed from 9pm on Friday, and will not reopen until 5am on Monday morning.

The coast-bound carriageway will close at the same time, but will reopen at 5am on Saturday – although reduced to two lanes with a 50mph speed limit in place.

It will then be shut again from 9pm on Sunday, opening on Monday morning alongside the London-bound carriageway.

There are then further closures planned for each carriageway, with one lane closed in the opposite direction each time.

This will affect the coast-bound carriageway (and lane three of the London-bound carriageway) overnight, between Monday October 17 to Friday October 21.

Work will shut the motorway London-bound (and lane three coast-bound) overnight from Monday October 24 to Friday October 28.

While the closure is in place there will be a diversion route in place using the A20, A261, A259 and A2070 to go London bound and the same roads in reverse order to go coastbound.

"We recognise that we are carrying out this work at the same time as the recently announced rail strikes"

The closure comes at the same time as hundreds of bus and train services are being cancelled across Kent by strikes.

More than 600 bus drivers employed by Arriva, and thousands of train drivers and railway staff are stepping-up industrial action because of unresolved disputes over pay.

The RMT union is taking strike action on Saturday, October 8, while Arriva bus strikes are being held on Thursday and Friday (October 6-7).

National Highways programme delivery manager, Graeme Steward, said: “Work like this gets planned months in advance. It requires careful planning and coordination, arrangements with contractors, materials, road closures amongst other things.

"We recognise that we are carrying out this work at the same time as the recently announced rail strikes and that this may cause additional inconvenience to road users and local communities.

“The nature of the work being carried out means we have to complete it before the autumn weather starts, and it has been planned well in advance with our supply chain and other partners in Kent Highways.

“If this work is delayed it would mean a knock-on effect on other essential work in the area this year, including on bridges, potentially leading to unplanned emergency closures."