More than half of all journeys down a key stretch of the A249 are delayed, according to Department for Transport statistics.

The area includes the Stockbury roundabout before the M2 turn-off, which is in line for a share of £1.4 billion of government cash to improve Kent roads.

The figures, which measure the average time it takes a motorist to get from the Key Street roundabout to Stockbury, show 57.1% of all trips suffer delays.

Calculations show the 2.1 miles should, when accounting for the 70mph speed limit, take one minute 44 seconds to cover but for the majority of road users, it takes longer to complete the short distance, with morning rush-hour commuters taking more than five minutes.

Data shows more than 40,000 cars travel through the Stockbury roundabout and use the A249 daily.

Details on how the road cash will be spent are still not clear, with the only information being that there will be increased capacity on the slip roads.

Borough and county councillor Roger Truelove (Lab), who has been an advocate for a number of road improvements, said he hoped plans on precisely how the money will be spent will appear soon.

He added: “I don’t think there’s anything concrete and when it is going to happen is not clear.

“It is very vague. It’s more like a wish list.

“It’s part of a massive national programme and that is what happens, these things always take much more time so I would not criticise it for that.

“You would hope journey times are improved. The capacity is that if nothing is done, it will get worse and worse.

“It is important to our area that you don’t have congestion which dissuades people and businesses from using the road.”