A major route has been closed due to emergency works to fix a burst water main which caused traffic gridlock for drivers.

Motorists are being warned the A28 through Wincheap in both directions is shut on a main commuter link in and out of Canterbury.

The road was shut between Cow Lane and St Jacob’s Place late last night to allow South East Water to carry out the job and will stay shut until the early hours of tomorrow morning.

It has left a lot of traffic attempting to cut through the Wincheap industrial estate, clogging up the back roads in the area.

Many disgruntled motorists took to social media to vent their frustrations, with journeys into the city becoming severely disrupted.

The park and ride car park and nearby shops remain accessible although were subject to long queues and standstill traffic during this morning’s rush hour.

One said: “We become more third world every day, terrible infrastructure.”

Another added: “It'll be a nightmare regardless of where you go.”

Traffic problems in Wincheap are nothing new, with the layout of the area proving to be a particular source of discontentment.

The closure notice is in place until 5am on Wednesday, according to road closure monitoring site OneNetwork.

Adam Newbury, Distribution Manager for South East Water said: “Our teams have repaired a burst water main on the A28 Wincheap, which happened yesterday.

“The burst caused minor damage, but the repair is complete and we are working towards having the road returned to a safe and driveable condition by the early morning on Wednesday 18 December.

“We understand traffic disruptions can be very frustrating and would like to thank the residents of Canterbury for their patience and understanding.”