Two MPs have written to the chief executive of Highways England in a bid to merge major motorway works and footbridge installations.

The M20 from junctions 3 (Borough Green) to 5 (Aylesford) is set for a £92m transformation to a smart motorway with work due to begin in March 2018.

The installation of the smart motorway would begin just as a replacement footbridge over the same segment of motorway is put in place.

Drivers are warned that delays are likely with 50mph speed limits, lane closures and slip road closures during the winter through to Easter.

While Highways England could not confirm the start date for a replacement East Street footbridge, close to Junction 3, contractors A-one+ revealed work is due to begin on October 30 and end in March.

The East Street footbridge was demolished after a lorry carrying a digger crashed into it and caused £1.5m worth of damage on August 27, 2016.

A motorcyclist suffered broken ribs while bank holiday traffic was affected during the motorway’s closure.

Tom Tugendhat, MP for Tonbridge and Malling, and Tracey Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford, have penned a joint letter in a bid to convince Highways England to combine the roadworks and limit the amount of delays and problems in the area.

The letter, written today, said: “Some disruption is inevitable during the construction phase of large scale projects and we are of course concerned about inevitable pressure both works will put on the local road network, especially through the villages of Ryarsh and Birling and along the entire A20 corridor.

“As a result, we want to see the disruption for motorists and local residents minimised wherever possible.

“With that in mind, and given the proximity of these two projects, it would seem a more effective and considerate way of scheduling these works if Highways England were able to delay the installation of the new footbridge until March 2018 so that it can take place alongside the SMP works, when disruption is already expected.

“If these projects could be merged, it would reduce the combined timescale for these projects by five months and in doing so lessen the impact for motorists and local residents.”