A series of road closures near the town centre are expected to cause six weeks of disruption for motorists from this weekend.

Leith Park Road, Parrock Avenue and Parrock Road, all around one mile south of the town centre, will close for six weeks due to gas line replacement works.

Councillor Steve Thompson, representing Central ward who lives near the area, has warned motorists to expect congestion.

He said: “I think it will cause disruption from Echo Square down to Parrock Road as it is one of the major routes into town. I live there myself so I know how busy it can get.

“It is going to cause congestion but there is nothing we can do about it if it is essential works.”

People took to Facebook to have their say on the works. Claire Kyle said: “What’s new lol so even more traffic for workers!”

Whilst John Loughlin said: “There’s an old saying, ‘you can’t make an omelette without cracking the egg.’”

The work is being carried out by SGN who said it forms part of a project to “ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply to the local community”.

This involves replacing the metal gas mains with a plastic polyethylene pipe.

The scheme will take 11 weeks to complete but roads require only to be closed for the first six.

A spokesman for SGN said: “We’ve planned to carry out the Parrock Road closure during the school summer holiday to minimise disruption to the local community.

"However, we appreciate that roadworks can be frustrating whatever the time of year, and I apologise for any inconvenience.

“The new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years, which means once the work has been completed, people in this part of Gravesend will continue to enjoy the benefits of a continued safe and reliable gas supply for many years to come.”

Those wishing to travel down Leith Park Road will be diverted through Parrock Road, South Hill Road and Sandy Banks Road.

For Parrock Avenue, drivers will have to go down an open section of Parrock Road and Park Avenue. For Parrock Road southbound, drivers will head down Lords Street, Windmill Road, Old Road West, and Old Road East and northbound Old Road East, Rochester Road, East Milton Road, A226, Parrock Street and Parrock Road.

Road closures are expected to start this Saturday and finish by Saturday, August 29. Emergency access will be maintained at all times.