Motorists face six months of closures on a busy stretch of the A2 while “essential repairs” are carried out.

From next week, the road will be shut overnight at weekends until the end of June on the Londonbound side between Canterbury and Faversham.

The dual-carriageway will also be reduced to one lane during the day, likely causing long queues on the approach to Brenley Corner.

Once the Londonbound work is complete, contractors will move onto the coastbound side, where similar closures yet to be confirmed will be enforced from July 11.

A traffic order covering the two-phase project will be in place for 18 months, but National Highways says it expects the work to last approximately six months.

It also says it is “coordinating with other works in the area to reduce the number of closures needed and minimise overall disruption”.

This is likely a nod to the contraflow system currently in place on the New Thanet Way at Whitstable - a route that could be used by many motorists diverted away from the A2.

Highways bosses say crews will be carrying out repairs to the concrete that makes up the base layer of the A2, adding the work is needed to maintain and improve safety, while reducing unplanned closures in the future.

The project starts next week, and will see the road shut overnight between the Wincheap turn-off and Brenley Corner from Thursday, May 16, to Sunday, May 19, from 8pm to 6am.

It will be the first of six weekend closures on the Londonbound stretch, with the last ending on Monday, June 24.

During this time the road will also be reduced to one lane during the day.

Two contingency weekends have then been pencilled before the coastbound work starts on Thursday, July 11.

The dates for this part of the project have not yet been confirmed.

During the closures, motorists heading from Dover towards London will be diverted onto the M20.

For local traffic, a diversion will be in place from the Whitfield roundabout, signposting vehicles along the A256 and New Thanet Way to Brenley Corner.

For next week only, the M2 Londonbound between Brenley Corner and Junction 4 for Rainham will also be shut overnight between Thursday night (May 16) and Monday morning, except on the Saturday.