Residents and businesses have criticised “nightmare” gas maintenance works which have shut a bridge and three roads.

Farleigh Lane, leading to East Farleigh Bridge in Maidstone, has been shut since Monday, September 5, for an SGN mains replacement, and is not due to reopen until October.

Glebe Lane and Rectory Lane are also closing as part of the project.

Traffic that usually uses the bridge to access Tonbridge Road is being diverted to Teston Bridge.

The village is one of many areas in the county which are currently being riddled with roadworks.

Sophia Stevens, who runs Homewood Orchard Garden Centre in Farleigh Lane, expressed her frustrations.

She said: “The signs looks very intimidating and most drivers can’t be bothered to drive past them to get down the road.

"We won’t get passing trade for the next few weeks.

“I live in Yalding and at the moment I just avoid Teston completely. There are queues all up the road from the bridge.

“It’s a bit of a nightmare and makes me question whether we should even bother to open.”

The owner of The Victory pub at Farleigh Bridge said: “I know that I am going to lose 75% of our trade because of this.

“I’ve had to put a sign out next to the road closure stating that we are open.

“There’s no need for it to be shut overnight – they haven’t thought it through at all.”

Richard Webb (Lib Dem), councillor for Coxheath and Hunton ward, said it was hard to navigate Maidstone town centre while the bridge was shut, while Labour councillor Paul Harper questioned the timing.

He said: “It may have been better to schedule it during the summer holidays when there is less traffic.”

Desiree Home, secretary to the Riverside Park Residents’ Association which sits just off Farleigh Lane, said: “The lane being closed means we have to make massive re-routes.

“I go to the doctor’s in Hermitage Lane and the other day it took me 50 minutes to do a journey that usually should take five.

“For us at Riverside Park there is a huge problem with people ignoring the signs and going over the bridge anyway only to get stopped by the closure and so have to turn round, blocking the entrance.”

Meanwhile, a hospital worker said the works were “a pain” for those commuting to Hermitage Lane, and that she feared for ambulances.

A spokesman from SGN said the work was essential and apologised for the inconvenience.