Motorists travelling between Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Sheppey are to endure entire weekend closures at the Stockbury Roundabout because of roadworks.

National Highways closed the M2 London-bound exit and entry slip roads at Junction 5 from 8pm on Friday and it will only be reopened at 5am on Monday to move utility pipes.

It is advance work for building a £92 million flyover across the roundabout – the main construction work for which is set to start in the new year.

The latest work follows two weekends of closures on the A249 at Stockbury last month so that gas, water and electricity supplies could be moved.

National Highways said that after "successfully completing" that phase, it now needed to carry out the same work on the M2 London-bound exit and entry slip roads at Junction 5.

This means it will close the M2 Junction 5 London-bound exit slip road from 8pm on Friday, December 3 until 5am on Monday, December 6, as well as the London-bound entry slip road from 9pm on Friday, December 3 until 5am on Monday, December 6.

Drivers wanting to exit the M2 London-bound are being told to continue along the M2 and take the Junction 4 exit, take the third exit at the junction back onto the M2 towards Canterbury and then come off the M2 at Junction 5 onto the Stockbury roundabout to continue their journey.

Meanwhile. drivers wanting to enter the M2 towards London are being told to take the diversion via the A249 Maidstone-bound from the Stockbury roundabout.

At Junction 7 of the M20, they should take the third exit onto the M20 London-bound and continue along before taking the M20 Junction 6 exit slip and then the first exit onto the A229 towards Chatham, and join the M2 at Junction 3.

In October, work clearing trees and shrubs from around the building site began.

The latest updates on the project are available by calling 0300 123 5000 or emailing m2j5@highwaysengland.co.uk.