Highways England has performed a last-minute about-turn to avoid gridlock hitting the Isle of Sheppey tonight.

The Brielle Way at Blue Town was to have been closed tonight and tomorrow to allow work on Peel Ports' new bridge linking Sheerness Docks to the former Sheerness Steelworks site.

But after protests from councillors, members of the public, Sheppey and Sittingbourne MP Gordon Henderson and road chiefs at Kent County Council the closure has been stopped.

It would have coincided with two other major road closures on the Island.

The main road going into Sheerness from Halfway was closed by Kent Highways on Wednesday for two weeks to allow emergency water main repairs at the canal.

It means a 10-mile diversion for motorists along Halfway Road, Minster Road, Minster Broadway and back into Sheerness via Marine Parade.

Furious residents had already complained about traffic jams at rush hour as cars, buses and lorries all tried to use one way into the town.

Kent Highways also allowed Minster High Street and Back Lane to be closed today and tomorrow for resurfacing although Highways England had already planned the Brielle Way closure weeks ago.

Today Mr Henderson demanded at least one of the closures be postponed.

He said: "It has been brought to my attention that there are two planned works along the Brielle Way and Halfway Road on the Isle of Sheppey starting this weekend.

"I have contacted Kent Highways to ask that one of the works is suspended as a matter of urgency.

"It is unacceptable to close the two main roads into Sheerness at the same time, pushing all traffic, port lorries and buses through historic Queenborough High Street or via the long diversion through Minster and along the seafront into the narrow one way system.

"I am concerned also at the two-week time frame for the works along Halfway Road."

Swale's Cllr Cameron Beart (Con, Queenborough and Halfway) said today: "Highways England has suspended the closure of the Brielle Way, Sheerness this weekend.

"I have just received confirmation from Highways England that following correspondence received from myself, Kent Highways and Gordon Henderson MP, they have agreed to suspend the closure of the Brielle Way and have notified Peel Ports that the works will need to be postponed until a later date.

"This is a sensible approach given the closure of the Halfway Road and will maintain good access in and out of Sheerness this weekend."

It is unknown at the moment how much the sudden turn-around will cost Peel Ports which had been planning the bridge works for many weeks.