Traffic chaos has already begun after the closure of a busy A249 slip road – but motorists fear worse is to come.

This morning there are delays and queuing traffic for three miles on the dual carriageway in both directions at the M2 junction 5 by the Stockbury roundabout near Sittingbourne.

Reports suggest there is congestion to Bobbing on the Maidstone-bound side as a result of the Sheppey-bound entry and exit slip closure, which is under way while improvements are carried out at the Grovehurst junction.

Today is also the day that the A249 Maidstone-bound carriageway is to be whittled down to one lane until February between the Stockbury roundabout and Rumstead Lane.

The closure is for central reservation and carriageway improvements which are designed to reduce congestion and improve journey times.

They are the latest stages in the £92 million project which will see a flyover built at Junction 5 of the M2 at Stockbury, for traffic travelling between Maidstone, Sittingbourne and Sheppey.

Motorist Clive Hancock had an extra 10 minutes added to his short journey this morning due to the congestion.

Although he knows this isn’t much he is preparing himself for much longer waits in the future.

The Halfway resident said: “The traffic this morning was already bad and this will be down to one lane from Cowstead Corner soon.

“I do hope no ambulances will need to leave the island in an emergency.”

Clive, who was commuting to his job on the Eurolink estate in Sittingbourne, said: “There was no accident in the area, the congestion was just down to traffic.

“The slip road is coned off to one lane, plus trucks wanting to get to the Eurolink estate and nearby factories now have to drive all the way to the bridge before following diversions and returning on the Maidstone-bound carriageway.

“The A249 being cut down to one lane will be interesting, I think it will get worse.”

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