A month of closures on the M20 is due to start today.

The London-bound carriageway is scheduled to close between Junction 8 for Leeds and Junction 9 for Ashford at 8pm tonight.

It will close at 8pm each night, reopening at 6am until Monday March 11.

For day-time users, the same stretch of motorway will be reduced to 50mph with narrow lanes from Tuesday, February 12 until March 11.

The roadworks are being carried out so barriers can be installed in preparation for Operation Brock, the planned traffic management system in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Earlier this week eight Kent MPs wrote to Highways England, asking for the roadworks to finish earlier each morning.

Faversham and Mid Kent MP Helen Whately said: "Back in November there was a week of dreadful delays caused by overnight closures – with children missing lessons and businesses losing money from late deliveries and people not getting to work on time.

"A month of roadworks will be even worse."