Roadworks caused traffic chaos in Sittingbourne during the morning’s rush hour as the town, once again, came to a grinding halt.

Workmen are thought to have turned off the lights in Mill Way, at the junction with Sittingbourne Retail Park, at about 8am, and replaced them with temporary signals.

The result was said to have been havoc.

County councillor Mike Whiting (Con) was among those caught up in the queues.

“It made us late for work and I’ve been speaking to a colleague who took 40 minutes to get from Asda to Morrisons,” he said.

“Traffic was queued back along Staplehurst Road as far as the Jenny Wren.

“It did not appear traders had been given any notice and it just caused chaos.”

It is believed the contractors were working on behalf of a telecommunications company and needed to dig up the road to fit wiring. The job was expected to take three days.

Cllr Whiting added: “My point was, this is clearly a sensitive and busy junction.

"Any roadworks there, I feel should be done at night, at a time when you are not going to affect the thousands of people who use the junction to get to work, school or the train station.

“To cause that level of havoc is unacceptable.”

Kent County Council was contacted and ordered the contractors to suspend the work.

A KCC spokesman said: "We were made aware that works being carried out by a contractor for a telecoms firm were causing considerable congestion and delays for drivers around Mill Way, Milton Road and Sittingbourne Retail Park.

"Given the scale of the problems, we halted this work and the contractor has made the area safe.

"We are now in discussions with the telecoms firm and contractor, with the aim of the work being carried out when it would cause less disruption."