The government is being urged to find the money to make urgent improvements to a “nightmare” roundabout connecting major roads in east Kent.

Brenley Corner, which links the A2, M2 and Thanet Way on the outskirts of Faversham, is notoriously snarled up during rush hours.

Action has long-been called for, and a project to ease gridlock at the junction is one of 32 pipeline schemes being considered for funding in 2023.

National Highways is currently engaging with local community groups to see what improvements people want to see at the roundabout.

And to support the plan, Faversham MP Helen Whately met with roads minister Baroness Vere last week to lobby for its inclusion in the programme of investment.

“People are fed up of sitting in traffic at Brenley Corner, “ she said.

“This local bottleneck is long overdue investment as local residents know all too well. This is something I put to the roads minister when we met again recently.

“Having secured funding to develop a plan to improve the junction, we now need to make it a reality. I’m working with National Highways to make sure we have a watertight case for investment and a plan that local people can support.”

The government will announce in 2023 which schemes have received funding as part of its third Road Investment Strategy.

A formal consultation will be held next summer ahead of any decisions being made.

Mrs Whately says the need for improvements is urgent, especially with thousands of new homes set to be built in and around the town.

“Brenley Corner can be a nightmare at the best of times, and the development planned around Faversham could make this even worse,” she says.

“If Swale allocate the lion’s share of housing around Faversham this junction could be permanently gridlocked.

“This is something I’ve stressed again in my submission to the latest consultation on the Local Plan. We need a plan for infrastructure, not just new homes.”

Mrs Whately is due to meet the Brenley Corner project team tomorrow for the first of a series of meetings to keep track of progress.