RADICAL plans aimed at easing Maidstone’s chronic traffic congestion are to be unveiled by county transport chiefs next month.

The ambitious proposals have been drawn up in the face of mounting concern that Kent’s county town is close to becoming regularly gridlocked.

KCC is understood to want to switch traffic lights at key junctions to green for longer periods by re-phasing the entire system around the gyratory system and on the main approach roads leading to the town centre during busy rush hour periods.

Motorists may also be free to use some bus lanes, probably outside the busy morning and evening peak times.

County councillor Keith Ferrin, the cabinet member responsible for roads, refused to elaborate on the plans but said: "I hope we will be making a positive announcement about what we are planning for Maidstone in about a month."

However, county council leader Paul Carter - who represents a Maidstone division on KCC - went further by confirming the county town would be the first of three across Kent to trial measures designed to improve journeys for frustrated commuters.

"We need a more sensitive traffic light system and need to make sure that we do not have unnecessary bus lanes in use. I genuinely believe these things can work," he said.

Kent Police had been involved in discussions and supported the initiative, he added.

The news comes as KCC rejected another plea to bring forward plans to build the South East Maidstone Strategic Route - formerly what was known as the Leeds-Langley bypass.

Opposition Liberal Democrat Dan Daley urged the council to re-instate the scheme in its five-year transport plan to 2011.

"This route has been talked about for 30 years. It has been put up and down and backwards and forwards for years. It will, in time, unlock the economic potential of the county town and ease the traffic pressure. The town will be completely gridlocked if this road is not built," he said.

But Cllr Graham Gibbens, KCC’s Conservative cabinet member for regeneration, said: "I want to build this road but we have already been told that our original transport plan [for 2005-20011] was unrealistic."

As a result, the scheme was now earmarked for a place in the following five year plan - meaning that work might not start until 2016. He added part of the blame lay with Maidstone Council because it had not yet produced its own development framework for the town.