Commuters are facing heavy delays after a major A-road was shut.

Traffic is queuing on the Old Thanet Way between Herne and Greenhill this morning with lengthy tailbacks in the area.

It comes after the Chestfield Tunnel was closed for emergency repair work yesterday.

The popular route is out of action until next week after a critical safety fault in the jet fans that manage ventilation in the tunnel came to light following a routine inspection.

It is having a knock-on effect on the surrounding areas, with traffic queueing between Herne and Greenhill this morning.

A KCC spokesperson said: "These vital jet fans are the primary safety system in the tunnel, ensuring fire crews can safely evacuate people in the event of a fire in the tunnel, as well as safely venting away traffic pollution.

“The tunnels will remain closed for the remainder of this week while emergency works and further assessment of the situation take place.

“After which, a contraflow to reopen one lane of the tunnel will be introduced over the weekend, or sooner if possible.

“While we understand this is a huge inconvenience to residents, our first priority is public safety, which we take very seriously.”

It comes just two weeks after works to replace the bumpy surface on the A299 Thanet Way, which delayed commuters by up to 45 minutes, had finished.

In response to the latest closure, the following diversions have been put in place:

London-bound (westbound): Drivers will be diverted off of the A299 Thanet Way via the A291 Canterbury Road, onto the A2990 Thanet Way, continuing onto the A290 Clapham Hill, then using the westbound slip to return to the A299 from Wraik Hill Roundabout in Whitstable.

Coastbound (eastbound): Traffic will be diverted off of the A299 Thanet Way using the slipway to travel onto the A2990 Thanet Way, before moving onto the A291 Canterbury Road to re-join the A299 Thanet Way at Herne and Broomfield.

Those travelling these routes are being warned to expect delays and to allow extra time for their journeys.