Maidstone council has unveiled plans for how the new town centre gyratory will look.

The multi-million pound revamp involves building two new lanes to enable drivers using the A229 toward Blue Bell Hill and Chatham to avoid the bridge system and is billed as being the cure for misery every rush hour.

Work on the £5.7m project is expected to run between May and September next year.

There will be lane closures, but project managers have ruled out shutting the entire carriageway during the day.

Kent County Council's Russell Boorman said: "This is a scheme that will benefit the town in its entirety. It is an extremely busy junction and we have been aware of this for years now.

"The outcome of this will be a real improvement to people's journeys. We understand there will be congestion while we are undertaking works but we will do everything we can to minimise this."

The new system will be controlled by traffic lights and is expected to shave 74 seconds off journey times along the A20 Broadway and A229 Bishops Way.

To minimise disruption, contractors will work up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week, and the building has been timed to coincide with the school holidays when there is 20% less traffic.

Plans will also see the two subways connecting the bottom of the High Street with the River Medway filled in.

The council is also consulting the town centre’s 1,400 businesses to find out when they need access for deliveries.

According to the Local Plan, traffic levels are expected to increase by 46% by 2026.

The scheme will increase capacity of traffic at the gyratory. Around 300m of new lanes will need to be built to the east of the River Medway.

Approximately 5,800 vehicles use the gyratory during the morning peak period.

Councillors will discuss the plans at the Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee next Tuesday at 6.30pm.

Do you think the plans can put a stop to Maidstone's traffic chaos? Let us know.