DEMOLISHING a Kent flyover would be "madness" and could cost scores of jobs, councillors have been warned.

The decision by politicians to press ahead with plans to pull down the Sir John Hawkins Flyover in Chatham as part of its regeneration vision for the town has led a top firm to renew its threat to quit the Medway Towns.

An earlier proposal to close the flyover provoked fury in the local business community who were already angered by a new two-way traffic system they blamed for congestion and loss of business.

The outcry, led by Mike Lazenby, chief executive of Kent Reliance Building Society, persuaded the council to give the flyover a stay of execution and pacify businesses.

But renewed talk of demolition has revived business concerns.

Mr Lazenby, based at Sun Pier, Chatham, hit out at the council for resurrecting a flawed idea.

"I was applauding them a couple of weeks ago for listening to common sense but it seems that common sense has now deserted them," he said.

"We thought they had heard our message, but why have the councillors suddenly gone deaf? It's madness, absolute madness."

He added that the society, which had called off the hunt for new offices outside Medway when the council spared the flyover, would start looking again if the council persisted with its plans.

If the society moves, that could cost up to 50 local jobs, Mr Lazenby disclosed, because of third-party deals it expects to win from clients wanting to use its back office processing facilities in Bangalore, India.

"The front end of all our back office work is scanning, preparation and despatch of mail from the UK.

"The number of people could double from 50 to 100 at Sun Pier. If we move, that could mean the loss of 50 new jobs in Medway."

See Friday's Medway Messenger for more details