There were sighs of relief from motorists and residents alike after a busy through route re-opened yesterday following a period of closure.

The A229 Loose Road south-bound carriageway in Maidstone had been closed at the Wheatsheaf junction since last Friday during emergency gas main repair work, which led many drivers to take a rat-run via Cave Hill and Hayle Mill Road in Tovil, and also disrupted the Nos 5 and 89 bus services.

Loose Road fully re-opened yesterday after SGN completed its repairs, but that is not the end of the problems for drivers in the area.

Church Road in Tovil will be closed overnight for two days starting on October 31, for carriageway repairs by Kent County Council. The road will be closed between the junctions of Tovil Hill and Church Street from 7pm till 5am each day. The diversion is via Tovil Green and Tovil Hill.

Meanwhile, Old Loose Hill in Loose will be closed on Monday, October 30, between 9.30am and 3.30pm, for work phone network repairs by Openreach. The diversion is via Linton Road and Rosemount Close.

And Bottlescrew Hill in Boughton Monchelsea will be closed on November 2, between 8.30am and 4.30pm for a telephone pole replacement. The diversion is via Loose Road, Heath Road, Church Street and Beresfords Hill.