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More on KentOnline
Motorists heading to Canterbury will be sent on a 52-mile detour as roadworks are carried out on Brenley Corner roundabout next week.
Overnight closures at the busy junction have been announced across nine days - starting on Monday - for improvements to be made.
But for six of those nights official diversion routes will take drivers on a lengthy trek across east Kent to reach the Cathedral city.
The roundabout, which is met by the A2, M2 and A299 Thanet Way, has undergone a number of improvements in recent months, including the resurfacing of the pothole-ridden bridge decks.
Now work will be carried out to install a toucan crossing and improve traffic lights.
It will see the closure of parts of the roundabout between 8pm and 6am on Monday, December 9 and Tuesday, December 10, and from Monday, December 16 until Thursday, December 19.
The work will prevent vehicles coming off the Thanet Way and onto Brenley Corner, as well as stopping any motorists joining the A2 Canterbury-bound from the roundabout.
Those looking to get to Canterbury or Dover will instead be sent down the Thanet Way all the way to the A256 Sevenscore roundabout near Cliffsend.
From there they will be diverted south to the Honeywood Interchange at Whitfield, where they can choose to head either towards Dover or Canterbury along the A2.
Vehicles looking to take a short cut along Staple Street will be prevented by the closure of the A299 off-slip, but many are expected to cut through Blean along the A290.
Meanwhile, from Wednesday, December 11 to Friday, December 13, both carriageways beneath Brenley Corner will be shut between 8pm and 6am.
It means cars heading in both directions along the M2 and A299 will have to go up and over the roundabout, rejoining on the opposite side.
A second phase of work is due to take place in January, but specific dates have yet to be released.
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