Roadworks costing £10.8m to begin in August

Works on the A249 Bearsted Road will start on 18 August

Roadworks expected to take up to 15 months at a cost of £10.8m will begin in August, Kent County Council (KCC) has confirmed.

Works on the A249 Bearsted Road will start on 18 August, with the project aiming to deliver major upgrades to one of Maidstone's busiest roads, KCC said.

It added it will ease congestion, improve traffic flow and enhance pedestrian and cycling access.

There will be times during construction when traffic management changes and road closures will be required, but these will be advertised in advance, it said.

The improvements will include upgrading and signalising the A249 Bearsted Road and New Cut Road roundabouts and expanding the link road between the A249 Bearsted Road and New Cut Road to a four-lane dual carriageway.

Other upgrades include a new access road to Newnham Court Shopping Village and a shared path and cycleway between Vinters Park and Grove Green.

A KCC spokesperson said the scheme has been carefully designed to maximise capacity and minimise disruption during construction.

They added it will allow much of the work to be carried out away from the existing road, so it does not affect traffic flow.

Peter Osborne, member for highways and transport at Kent County Council, said: "This is a significant investment in Maidstone's transport infrastructure that will bring long-term benefits to residents, businesses and commuters.

"By easing congestion and improving access for all road users, we're helping to future-proof the area for continued growth and building a smarter, more resilient road network."