A one-way system which is proposed for a traffic blackspot in Maidstone could be in place by the end of June.

Cllr Paul Harper (Lab), who first proposed the system for Barker Road and Hart Street in 2020, says the time has come for action after receiving complaints about the traffic situation.

Last weekend, a combination of an accident along Tonbridge Road and issues with the traffic light timings, saw queues build up.

Both roads serve hundreds of flats and the Lockmeadow complex – which recently had a £900,000 food hall added and the McDonald’s drive-thru.

Maidstone councillors on the Joint Transportation Board have settled on the one-way system as a quick-fix way of improving the situation.

This would mean vehicles would no longer make a right-turn to reach the McDonald's drive-thru and a mini roundabout would be installed near B&Q, to keep traffic on a one-way course.

Cllr Harper said: “This is a pragmatic proposal, it will not cure everything, but should make life better.

"It can also be implemented, we are promised, in less than six months, so by the summer.

"Alternatives would have meant no action for three or four years.”

In January, an 'informal' meeting was held online with members of the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board. It agreed to trial a one-way system.

A Kent County Council (KCC) spokesperson commented: “KCC will be implementing the proposals recommended by the Joint Transportation Board, for a trial one-way system on Barker Road and Hart Street this summer."

Drivers were stuck for hours last weekend after the traffic light system was letting "only three cars out at a time" onto the A20.

Christopher Glue's family took over two hours to get home after going out to walk their dogs in the town centre.

Leaving Lockmeadow car park at 4.45pm, they came across an unusual amount of traffic along Barker Road and Hart Street.

Mr Glue said: "Initially I thought it was roadworks, but by the time they got to the set of traffic lights by McDonald's, they saw it was only letting out three cars at a time.

"When my family got to the front of the queue, people were fighting to get out, both from their side and the road leading to the McDonald's drive-thru.

"Luckily there weren't any children in our car at the time, as there would have been normally!"

KCC Highways tweeted at around 4pm that there was an accident along the A26 Tonbridge Road which was causing delays. The traffic was later cleared.

Lucy George, who lives in Hart Street, said: "It is getting beyond a joke now. Every single weekend without fail there is traffic and none of it is moving.

"It is very frustrating due to the number of homes that are down my road – if anyone wanted emergency services they would have no chance in getting to the place they needed to be."

The stretch of road outside Lockmeadow has been subject to complaints before.

In 2018, angry drivers took to twitter after being stuck in a complete standstill for hours.

Similar queues in the area which happened last month had a knock-on effect for food company Notorious B.R.G, who have a spot at the new food hall in Lockmeadow.

In a Facebook post they said: "We have closed Deliveroo in Maidstone today as there is a one-hour wait to get out of Lockmeadow currently due to the traffic on the one-way system."