Drivers have been gripped by traffic chaos caused by work on a roundabout revamp, which could last for a year.

On Friday, a lane of the A249 dual carriageway was shut southbound between Cowstead Corner roundabout on the Isle of Sheppey, and the A249 at the Grovehurst Road junction in Sittingbourne.

The closure was put in place for the safety of crews working on £32.7m improvements to the Grovehurst Junction.

It was supposed to start on Wednesday, September 20, but were postponed by Kent Highways until Friday, October 13.

It came after residents and businesses in Sittingbourne spoke out about the gridlock they were already facing due to the combined impact of roadworks on the Grovehurst and Stockbury roundabouts.

In Iwade, residents say they fear they won't be able to leave their village soon.

Managing director of Travelmasters, Tim Lambkin, whose school buses take students to and from the Island said the roadworks were already impacting the journeys of 1,600 schoolchildren a day, making many late to class.

After the lane closure was introduced, drivers coming across the Sheppey Crossing to Sittingbourne vented their frustrations on social media with one commenting that they “thought it was an April Fools' Day joke”.

Another noted that it took 50 minutes to get “up and over the bridge”.

Lesley Glover said she left her home in Minster at 7.15am and didn't get to Asda in Sittingbourne where she works, just 7 miles away, until 8.13am when she was supposed to start at 8am.

The 72-year-old added said it had lost her wages and that, if she was 15 minutes late to every shift, it would cost her £650 over the duration of the works.

Stephen Fielder, who drove from Sittingbourne to Sheppey, said a journey that usually takes him 20 minutes took him 45 despite “missing the worst of it”.

Meanwhile, David Chart from Minster said the single lane is forcing him “to leave his home at 6.30am to be at Kent Central Ambulance Service base in Maidstone for 8.30am”.

There is also a full Maidstone-bound closure of the A249, towards Stockbury, between the exit and entry slip roads at the A249 Grovehurst Road junction, to enable contractors Jackson Civils to set up safe working zones.

There is a diversion up and over the A249 via the existing southbound Grovehurst Road roundabout.

For more on roadworks affecting journeys across Kent in the coming week, click here

Cllr Mike Whiting has complained that Sheppey residents who commute to Sittingbourne for work and school are having to sit “two or three hours of traffic every day”.

He added: “While we all understand that the works are necessary and will bring improvements in the future we cannot underestimate the impact on Sheppey residents.

“The disruption is unlikely to end until the works are finished, but Swale council will continue to have dialogue with Kent and National Highways to keep this disruption to as little as possible.”