The six-week closure of a well-used route off the A249 is being extended to make further progress on multi-million pound work to create a new road layout.

Part of Oad Street, between Woodgate Lane and the A249, near Sittingbourne, was originally due to be closed until Sunday, June 5, as part of a huge project to improve the Stockbury roundabout and the M2 Junction 5.

It is now going to remain shut until 5am on Monday, June 20.

A spokesman for National Highways said: "We have been given the opportunity to extend our closure in Oad Street to make further progress before our return in the autumn.

"We appreciate this closure has been extremely disruptive, and hope that by keeping the closure in place for longer now, we can cut down the length of our closure later in the year."

The road will reopen for the summer, but National Highways confirmed it will be closed again in the autumn.

Drivers who would normally use Oad Street to access the A249 Maidstone-bound, must follow the A2 to Key Street roundabout.

Then take the second exit to join the A249 Maidstone-bound.

The spokesman added: "We estimate this diversion routes will add approximately 10-15 minutes on top of the usual journey time, depending on traffic.

"Please allow extra time for your journey."

The roadworks come as preparation work to install a flyover and new slip roads at the roundabout continues.

This will include the permanent closure of the direct slip-road from the A249 to the coastbound M2 – although traffic will still be able to access the coastbound M2 via the first exit on the roundabout.

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