HEAVY lorries will be banned from driving through the villages of Leeds and Langley, near Maidstone, from September.

County council officials have confirmed they expect the prohibition to be up and running within weeks in an attempt to relieve congestion and bring relief to long-suffering residents plagued by traffic noise.

Notices will be put up banning lorries weighing over 16.5tonnes from the narrow B2163 between the A274 and A20, which has often been blocked by large vehicles unable to pass each other

A related ban on lorries weighing more than 7.5tonnes on the parallel Broomfield Road, Kingswood and Chegworth Road, Ulcombe will come into force at the same time

But there are fears that the measures may increase traffic chaos in Maidstone town centre and on alternative routes such as Willington Street by diverting HGVs on to equally badly congested roads.

Others have complained that the ban, to be reviewed by the county council after six months, will be unenforceable.