CONFUSION surrounds the fate of a scheme to reduce noise along a stretch of the M20.

The Highways Agency has denied a claim by Kent County Council that the plan to resurface the motorway between Junction 8 near Maidstone and Junction 9 at Ashford is on the backburner and unlikely to get under way in 2007, as originally anticipated.

Kent County Council insists it has been told by the agency that all its schemes for covering concrete roads are being reviewed for safety.

But the Highways Agency has flatly rejected the claim and said the noise-reduction measures for the M20 were still in its programme for 2007-2008.

A spokeswoman said: "The Highways Agency has a commitment to resurface the M20 between Junction 8 and 9 during 2007-2008, subject to the availability of funding. It is in the programme to be done on those dates."