A town centre road is set to be closed for nine months to allow works on a contraflow bus lane to start.

Clifton Road, in Gravesend, will be shut from tomorrow (March 14) until November 20 as part of the £5.52 million scheme.

It will be closed between B256 Stuart Road and the Hospital Car Park entrance.

The alternative route is via Clifton Road, B526 Stuart Road/West Street, A226 Bath Street and vice versa.

Kent County Council's highways team has said the closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce to allow a temporary construction compound while work is underway.

Last year, the council revealed plans for a Fastrack contraflow bus lane to link the Northfleet Embankment East development and Gravesend town centre.

A lane will be constructed between the existing taxi lane and one-way traffic on the opposite side of Bath Street to help reduce congestion.

The scheme will use the hatched road space to widen the existing carriageway to incorporate a south-bound bus lane which will connect to West Street and the bus hub in Garrick Street.

The existing north-bound traffic lanes and south-bound taxi lane will remain, with only minor changes to kerb alignment.

The scheme will also upgrade the crossing to a toucan crossing to improve accessibility and move the pedestrian crossing at the New Road junction.

The £5.25 million project, funded by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, forms part of a Fastrack programme across Dartford, Gravesham and Ebbsfleet to improve the area's transport network.

It is hoped the overall Fastrack scheme will improve journey times and add bus stops for new developments making Gravesham more accessible.

Construction is expected by December 2023.