Additional reporting by Nicola Jordan

The four-month closure of two slip roads between the M2 and the A249 starts this weekend.

Sittingbourne’s Junction 5 coast-bound entry and exit slips will be closed from 8pm tomorrow (Sunday) until Friday, January, 13.

The closure means motorists will not be able to access the Stockbury roundabout from the M2 coastbound or join the M2 coastbound at Stockbury.

National Highways has confirmed an 18-mile diversion which Google Maps says takes 21 minutes to complete, adding 11 miles to the normal route.

The coastbound entry slip diversion will take drivers to Junction 4 at Gillingham/Hempstead Valley and back again but the exit slip diversion directs traffic down Blue Bell Hill, onto the M20 and back up the A249 northbound.

However, the A2 through Rainham and Sittingbourne is likely to bear the brunt, with people fearing months of traffic problems.

Residents, shop owners and councillors in the area say the A2 and surrounding roads by their properties are going to be gridlocked.

Alan Stockey, a member of Rainham Eco Hub, has been monitoring air pollution in Rainham, carrying out surveys at different times of the day, including rush hours.

He said Rainham had endured 18 months of roadworks and regular gridlock and this could be the "last straw".

Alan, who has lived in the town all his life, said air quality in the town was deteriorating and, on occasions, an alert from KentAir had warned people with heart or lung conditions to stay indoors.

Medway Council and the University of Kent have launched a campaign to stop drivers keeping their engines running when stationary.

The local authority has been awarded government money to target "idlers" in Rainham from a pot of more than £11 million.

He said: "This additional congestion will make it many times worse than usual during the period when Kent University's anti-idling project will be running in Rainham."

Mr Stockey is also fearful about the congestion as more motorists choose to travel along the A2 which runs through the town to avoid delays on the M2.

The 62-year-old said: "This could be life-threatening as how are emergency services supposed to get through as all the back roads will be chocka as has been proved when the M2 has been temporarily closed due to accidents?

"At a time when we are trying to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport in support of Medway Council's Climate Change Action Plan, this is madness."

Mr Stockey, a married father of three daughters, got involved in environmental matters after meeting members of the hub which formed online in 2020 during lockdown.

Two of his children and two grandsons live in the town.

He added: "These issues become more important for our future generations."

Liz O'Hanlon, who founded the Rainham Eco Hub, said the prospect of increased volumes of traffic travelling through the High Street was "absolutely horrendous".

She said air quality was already poor made worse by the close proximity of traffic lights, forcing drivers to stop, start and "idle".

Swale councillor Mike Whiting (Con) also slammed the closure plan.

He said: "We all want to see improvements to the Stockbury Roundabout at Junction 5 of the M2, and many of us fought for years to get the government to agree to fund the £100 million project.

"But this latest news from National Highways – that they will be closing two of the four slip roads between the motorway and the A249 for four months – is astonishing.

"The additional commuting time and cost for many will cause real hardship and is unacceptable.

"We know that many will chose to use the A2 between Rainham and Faversham rather than the protracted diversion routes and we all know what happens when we load more traffic through Newington, Key Street, Sittingbourne and Teynham – it's gridlock."

Oad Street, between the A249 and Woodgate Lane, is now also closed until Monday, October 10.

National Highways will be finishing the widening work which started earlier this year.

For more information on the closures click here.

In a statement, National Highways said: “We are doing everything we can to encourage drivers to stick to the approved diversions, which have been chosen to be able to handle the flows of traffic experienced on the M2.

"The diversion routes used have been agreed with several local authorities and the emergency services.

"They are clearly signposted using yellow and black signs, as well as VMS signs as far back as the M25.

"We have communicated this closure well in advance via our website, bulletins, resident letters, drop in clinics, and signs on the road.

"These closures will be monitored and reviewed if necessary.

"We appreciate that these roadworks may cause delays and disruption, and are grateful for people’s patience while we deliver this important upgrade at junction 5 on the M2."