Motorists have been given a reprieve from traffic chaos with KCC postponing major junction works.

The highways authority had planned to shut the Running Horse Roundabout on the A229 at the foot of Blue Bell Hill in Maidstone overnight for two weeks starting on October 21.

But now KCC said the work had been put off until the New Year.

A spokesman said: “Our team is preparing to complete work at the Running Horse Roundabout to improve the experience of the travelling public. This includes enhanced lining and signage.

“We had planned for this to take place over two weeks at the end of October and the beginning of November, but this is now being rescheduled for the New Year.

“Once dates have been confirmed we will write to residents and businesses in the area to inform them of our plans.”

The change-of-heart comes just two days after MPs Helen Grant, Helen Whately and Tracey Crouch wrote to KCC’s director of highways, Simon Jones, over plans to close the road for 12 hours at a time – from 7pm to 7am.

The MPs said such a late re-opening in the morning would cause problems for early-morning commuters and businesses.

KCC has not indicated what the hours of closure will be when the work is rescheduled, nor when that might be exactly.

A spokesman for the MPs said: “They will still want to see an earlier re-opening of the road, whenever the work happens.”