Traders at Strood market have closed their stalls for the final time for several months.

Medway Council is investing £9 million into the town centre to make it more accessible to shoppers.

Roadworks on Commercial Road, Knight Road and the High Street could continue until May next year.

Cllr Jane Chitty, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth, said: “This is great news for the future of Strood market. Medway has a long history of markets and we are keen to continue this tradition.

“We have listened to traders’ feedback and have plans in place to improve the market.

"I am pleased that stallholders have been given the opportunity to trade at Gillingham market whilst the improvement works take place.”

The money was secured from South East Local Enterprise Partnership and will improve pedestrian routes, cycling facilities and road layouts.

Matt Hume, who owns Jane’s Stall, Tolgate Lane, said he is pleased to see Strood on the up.

But the former market trader added it needs to be done quickly.

He told KentOnline's sister paper, the Medway Messenger: “I’m really happy they are improving the area.

“There’s a lot going on in Strood and it’s good to see the effort being made to bring the place up.

“But the council have got to understand how important it is to cause as little impact as they can.

“It’s really important for them to get back there because they pull people to the local businesses as well.

“I hope there will be access to the high street from the retail park while the work is going on.

“It feeds the businesses and it’s important the council works closely with traders.”

Alan Tridgell has a bakery and confectionery stall and has traded at Strood since 2009.

Speaking to the Medway Messenger at the end of January, he said: “If it generates more people coming into Strood it will be good because at the moment it is not very good and parking is atrocious.

"We were left in the dark a little bit and were only told last Tuesday what was going to happen. I already do another market on a Tuesday somewhere else.”

The work on the car park is expected to continue until the end of March.