Southern Water and Highways England have been blasted for their “total failure” over the water leak fiasco on the A249.

Members of all parties accused the organisations of having a “lack of urgency” at last night’s Swale council meeting.

Council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) said he was “gobsmacked” at the delays in reopening the Sheppey-bound carriageway of the A249 after the water main to the Island burst on Monday, January 11.

Now, 17 days later, the road remains closed with huge tailbacks and delays stretching back to the M2 slip road. There are hopes it might re-open soon though.

Cllr Bowles said: “Members will be all too painfully aware of the closure of the A249 and its impact on the borough.

“It is the only high-capacity route to and from the mainland for the 42,000 residents and businesses on Sheppey. Everyone is being affected. The cost of this closure is huge.”

He added: “We all accept emergency works are sometimes necessary but once they have taken place, an appropriate level of resources must be used to ensure a road is reopened as quickly as possible.

“Highways England appears to have a different interpretation compared to this council of what constitutes an appropriate level of resources.”

He said he had written to roads minister Andrew Jones demanding he “persuade Highways England of the urgency of this matter”.

Labour leader Cllr Roger Truelove agreed, saying: “There has been a lack of urgency in getting this road reopened while our economy has been falling to bits.

“People are having a shocking time inching through the traffic jams, including ambulances.”

Cllr John Wright (Con) said Network Rail had complained about water flooding its lines weeks before the nearby leak was discovered.

He said: “Somebody needs to kick these organisations where it hurts.

“The residents of Sheppey were very close to having water dowers outside their homes. We need to have an autopsy to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

Opposition leader Cllr Mike Baldock (Ukip) said: “I raised the issue of flooding around the rugby club field and Grove Park School in December but Southern Water said it didn’t have any pipes in the area.

“But it does. We should not let them off the hook. All this damage to the economy could have been avoided if Southern Water had acted on worries raised by me, the county council and our MP.”

Cllr Andy Booth (Con), who chairs the council’s scrutiny committee, promised it would investigate why it took so long for Southern Water to get information about the leak to residents.

He said: “As an Islander, the lack of communication has been dire. There does not seem to have been any thought about the impact this has had on residents and businesses, especially Sheppey’s three prisons - importantly the prison officers, many of whom live off the Island.

“We have been subjected to totally inappropriate delays. Sheppey was so close to having its water supply completely cut off that many people were running very scared.”

Fellow Sheppey councillor Ken Ingleton (Con) said: “For many years, Islanders have been trying to highlight how vulnerable we are.

“And this incident, when we woke up without any water, has finally brought it home.

“When I called Southern Water to find out what was happening, all I got was a recorded message and another number to ring, which I couldn’t get to answer. Luckily we keep a stock of water and food in the house for just such emergencies.

“I still remember when the whole Island was cut off by snow in 1987.

“For the Island to run out of water in such a short time indicates why we cannot have any more development until the current infrastructure is improved. There is still only one viable access to the Island.”

Cllr Bowles said: “Bluntly, the people of Sheppey have been badly let down and deserve a fulsome apology from these organisations. There has been a total failure. This is a major concern which I will not let drop. We need people to get round the table to sort it out. It has been very frustrating.”