Swale council has unanimously rejected a “short-sighted” option to revamp Stockbury Roundabout.

Highways England came up with the £100 million scheme to cut down queues at junction 5 of the M2 at the Sittingbourne, Maidstone and Sheppey turn-off.

But Cllr John Wright (Con) put forward an urgent motion at Wednesday’s full council meeting to put pressure on Highways England to fund a flyover similar to one at Bridgewood roundabout at Blue Bell Hill.

Highways England considered that but rejected the idea because it was too expensive. Its planners want to continue the A249 ACROSS the roundabout.

The suggested scheme will continue to use traffic lights which opponents say merely create delays and add to pollution when vehicles have to stop and start.

Cllr Wright said: “I wish I’d been proposing a motion in support of this but I haven’t spoken to a single person who has agreed with it.

“The option includes no through path – no straight road for traffic from Sheppey to Maidstone without an impedance going either round the roundabout or across it, with traffic lights.

"What it (Highways England) has put forward is a short-term measure which won’t work. It will be coming back to do something again in the future.”

Cllr Wright said two other schemes – a through-road for the A249 and a new roundabout above it directly below the M2 costing £184 million or a £158 million flyover - would be the way forward.

Cllr James Hunt (Con), who seconded the motion, said it was time Swale stopped getting the “cheapest option”.

He said: “This is the biggest, most-needed piece of infrastructure in Swale and possibly in the South East. The government has announced £2.2 billion being spent on roads. Spending only £50 million to £100 million on this project isn’t good enough.

"We expect more. It's about time Swale got what it deserves.”

Council leader Cllr Andrew Bowles (Con) agreed. He said a flyover would “make the most sense”.

He said: “We have spent 10 years arguing for this improvement and, bluntly, this proposal will not solve today’s problems, let alone those encompassed within the Local Plan we’ve just approved.

"This is not fit-for-purpose. It will not do the job we want. We need a proper multi-level junction with a direct route from Sittingbourne to Maidstone.”

The 40 councillors voted unanimously to pass the motion. Their comments will be sent to Highways England as part of its public consultation which ends on Tuesday October 17.