Closure on part of A249 cancelled ahead of M2 closure between Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Faversham
Published: 14:05, 29 June 2022
Updated: 14:53, 30 June 2022
Extended road closures predicted to cause weekend chaos have now been cancelled.
The A249 was set to be shut for two weekends longer than scheduled, clashing with the M2 closure of the London-bound stretch between Junction 5 for Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Junction 7 for Brenley Corner at Faversham.
However, National Highways have confirmed that the A249 closures due to happen from 8pm on Friday, July 1, until 5am Monday, July 4, have been cancelled because of the closure on the M2 for bridge repair work.
It has not yet been decided when the closures will be rescheduled.
The announcement comes as Borden Village residents spoke out about the nightmare weekend road closures have caused them because of the ongoing works.
Matthew Barnes, a farm worker who has lived in Borden village his whole life, has noticed how the diversion routes and closures have been affecting crop-collecting lorries.
The 37-year-old said: “We’re surrounded by crops that we harvest and store until lorries come and collect them from us. They come and take oils, rapeseed and grain to places like Tilbury and these drop-offs have really strict time slots so it is imperative that our lorries get there on time.
“However, with all the road closures the lorry drivers are left with no other choice but to use diversions such as School Lane, which isn’t made for these big vehicles. I don’t know what people expect us farmers to do, do they want us to wheelbarrow the grain to the M2?”
Matthew says he feels ashamed of the village’s residents, who have been hostile to the lorry drivers.
He added: “Everything you touch in a supermarket has got there by a lorry and it isn’t the drivers’ fault if there are road closures.
“The poor drivers are just trying to get the grain from point A to B but there are village residents who are swearing at them and telling them to find another route – there are no alternatives.”
Previously angry villagers called out dangerous drivers for using their roads as a ‘rat-run’ following the M2 junction improvements.
At the time Oad Street was set to be closed until June 5, it was then extended until June 20, but it was finally reopened ahead of schedule on June 18.
A spokesman for National Highways said: "We reopened Oad Street to traffic on Saturday 18 June, ahead of schedule.
"We would like to thank everyone for their patience throughout this closure.
"We’ll need to close Oad Street again in the autumn to continue with our work. Advanced notice will be provided ahead of the re-closure. "
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These roadworks come as preparation work to install a flyover and new slip roads at the roundabout continues.
If you have any questions about the scheme, on the second Wednesday of each month, a member of the National Highways team will be available between 10am and noon at Oad Street Food and Craft, Borden, to answer any queries.
To find out what closures are happening and what diversions are in place on what day click here.
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Megan Carr