Additional reporting by Ben Austin

Six months of traffic chaos is set to begin today as South East Water prepares to pump half a million pounds into a village’s infrastructure to replace ageing, burst-prone pipes.

The water company plans to lay 535m of modern piping to replace outdated infrastructure as demand increases from new housing.

As of 8am the work has not yet started and it is still unclear when it will.

The plan is for the B2163 through Leeds and Langley, a major carrier of traffic between the busy A20 and the A274, will close until next January.

SEW, after consultation with Kent County Council’s highways department, will also shut seven single-track back roads which will have a concrete closure at one end and a chicane at the other and marshals placed at each end to discourage entry to drivers other than residents and businesses.

The back roads have been used as ‘rat runs’ in the past during other closures of the B2163, causing angry confrontations between motorists, gridlock and damage to property and verges.

The closures are likely to have knock-on effects for villages such as Langley, Sutton Valence, Chart Sutton, Sutton Valence, Hollingbourne, Harrietsham, Bearsted and Otham.

South East Water said the work is “vital to our ability to increase the amount of water that we can pump into the area as the community grows” but many, including the landlords at the George Inn, feel it will have a huge impact on those living in the area.

Thurnham parish councillor Ruth Duncan said: “Let’s face it, it is not going to be pleasant for anybody - residents or motorists. It’s going to be murder.

“All the traffic has to go somewhere. We still have issues on the A20 because of the development at Woodcut Farm and Ware Street in Bearsted is still closed."

Keith Yardy, 57, who keeps his horse at one of the many stables in Caring Lane, fears how emergency vehicles might cope with the closures.

Last July, he was trampled by a horse leaving him with broken bones and two punctured lungs.

He said: “The ambulance came within 10 minutes but I wouldn’t think that it would have got here as quickly if we had all these closures.”

The residents have suggested the solid closure could have been placed at the bridge in Caring Lane, at the junction of Caring Lane or the junction of Forge Lane and Back Street.

Cllr Duncan added: “If we had been told about the public consultation exercises or given notice of what was planned, we could have put forward these options.”

Jeremy Dufour, Project Manager for South East Water, said: “We are sorry some residents of Leeds remain unaware of our plans to upgrade the water main network in Upper Street.

"During the past few months we have undertaken an extensive communications campaign including the issuing of 9,000 letters, web and social media advertising, holding a community drop-in and public meeting, local signage as well as articles being carried in the local press.

“During the past six months, we have worked closely with Kent Highways to balance the competing needs of residents and businesses in and around Leeds to reduce community disruption when we begin laying a new water main.

"We are fully aware there is no one single resolution which will address all the traffic management concerns locals have raised, however feel we have a plan which addresses most while keeping people safe.

“We appreciate that this, like any alternative option, will not suit everybody, however the installation of this new £1 million pipe is vital to ensure the long term supply of water to the village as the community grows as well as reduce disruption as the existing pipeline regularly leaks and bursts.

“Road closures are always a last resort, but this is required to ensure the safety of the public and our workforce. We urge all traffic in the area to use the official diversion route.

“Several meetings with residents and businesses in the area made it clear that when Upper Street is closed, the surrounding roads become blocked with congested traffic. As a result, we have worked with Kent County Council to limit the impact."

Bus services have also been affected by the closures, with Nu-Venture boss Norman Kemp confirming bus 13 unable to access its normal route through Leeds until January next year.

To compensate for the disruption, a temporary solution has been devised whereby Bus 13 will continue a shortened route through Langley Heath, Otham and Maidstone.

A temporary shuttle service 13A will then operate the other side of the closure taking passengers from Hollingbourne and Eyhorne Street to Maidstone town centre.

A newly adjusted timetable has been in place on the company’s website since Monday, July 17.

A diversion route will be in place taking traffic down the A274 through Willington Street to meet the A20 Ashford Road and vice-versa and many are worried about endless traffic jams as the already busy route will have more traffic concentrated through it.

While work goes on in Upper Street, South East Water will dig trial holes in Lower Street to help analyse the condition of the pipes after being made aware of leaks in the area.

Last year’s work ended up costing the water company £380,000 and now it is looking to spend a further £460,000 on stage two, making a final total of around £840,000.

The project forms part of South East Water’s commitment to investing more than £489m into upgrading its infrastructure.