Sections of a heavily-used motorway will be closed overnight as part of planned maintenance.

National Highways is carrying out repairs to the M20 junctions 5 and 6 for Maidstone and Chatham.

Work started on Monday (March 13) and is set to finish on Saturday (March 18).

National Highways will be improving both junctions by repairing joints along the motorway, as well as completing maintenance on the bearings underneath its overpasses.

As a result, there will be lane closures in both directions on the M20 at junction 6 from Monday at 8pm, until Thursday at 6am.

Drivers will still be able to pass through on reduced lanes.

On Thursday, a full overnight closure will be in place coastbound at the same junction between 8pm and 6am.

Traffic travelling that way will have to use the distributor lane to continue on the M20.

On Friday, both junctions 5 and 6 coastbound will be closed overnight from 8pm until 6pm.

Drivers are being diverted via junction 4, taking the A228 northbound to join the M2 southbound at junction 2.

Then they will need to exit the M2 at junction 3, taking the A229 southbound to rejoin the M20 at junction 5 and 6.

This week work is also being carried out on the main carriageway Maidstone-bound along the A229 Chatham Road.

It will be closed from Monday to Friday, from 9pm until 6am, between the Cobtree and Running Horse Roundabouts.

Motorists will have to exit at the Cobtree Roundabout to use the A229 slip road and rejoin at The Running Horse Roundabout.

A spokesman from National Highways said: "To minimise disruption, the majority of works will take place during weeknights only, with a single weekend of minor closures.

"There will be no works on the Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays.

"Please note that these works are subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances."