by Hayley Robinson

Motorists are being warned of traffic delays as the second of
four massive generators is transported from Chatham Docks to
Sittingbourne this weekend.

As of Friday night those travelling between Medway and
Sittingbourne via the A249 are advised to find an alternative route
if possible.

Officers from Kent Police's Roads Policing Unit will be escorting a specialised lorry as it transports the 428-ton generator from Chatham Docks to the National Grid substation, in Ypres Drive, Kemsley.

The route:

The lorry will leave Gillingham at 10pm on Friday. During this
stage vehicles will be able to follow behind the police escort. It
will use the M2 and M20 before joining the A249.

Police will stop traffic at the M20/A249 roundabout to allow the
load to get up Detling Hill. It will come off at the Iwade junction
and will stop along the Sheppey Way in the early hours of
Saturday.

At 2pm on Sunday the load will then be escorted back down the
A249 and come off at the junction for Kemsley and to its
destination just off Ypres Drive.

The trailer is 104.24m long, 5.9m wide and 5.24m high and
travels at a maximum of 14mph. No vehicles are allowed past the
moving lorry.

National Grid has requested residents keep Ypres Drive,
Grovehurst Road and Grovehurst Avenue clear of parked vehicles on
Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The old Sheppey Way is closed until Monday and traffic heading
for Iwade village should follow the detour route along Old Ferry
Road.

The journey wasn't as smooth as it could have been last week –
the lorry broke down on Yokosuka Way in Gillingham when one of its
hydraulic hoses failed.

A police spokesman said: "A new hose had to be fitted and the
road cleaned to ensure it was safe before the road could be
reopened after about 45 minutes."

The electricity company arranged for the quad booster
transformer to be transported from Chatham Docks to the site near
Sittingbourne to help "ensure London and the south east continue to
enjoy safe and secure electricity supplies".