A public transport head has hit out over a 'roadworks debacle' as children in Kent head back to school for the new year.

Matthew Arnold, Business Development Director at Stagecoach South East, accused Highways England and other services of treating bus passengers with 'contempt' as motorists and public services faced delays due to engineering works.

There have been fears across the county of traffic chaos on the roads as schools return for the new academic term, and Mr Arnold argued that this has been made worse by the timing of roadworks.

In a series of posts on twitter, the Canterbury resident criticised the decision to start work in Hythe Road in Ashford at the same time as schools returning.

He said: "On the day when most schools are starting to go back, these works will delay buses even more than usual, especially those trying to get to school for the first time in five months.

"They should have been planned to complete before schools start."

The temporary traffic lights at the Hythe Road works briefly stopped working, exacerbating delays for motorists in the area.

In a number of separate tweets from yesterday, he also took aim at Highways England and KCC Highways over several overnight motorway closures.

He said: "So tonight there is a full closure of the parallel A2 and A290 west of Canterbury.

"Please explain how this can be allowed to happen? Is co-ordination really that difficult?

"Business recovery is challenging enough as it is."

An hour later, he then continued: "Tonight’s roadworks debacle is worse than first thought; the M20 westbound is shut too.

"Only Highways England could shut BOTH routes out of Dover at the same time. We’ve had this discussion before; why is this happening again?"

He also said that he would "invite representatives from Highways England and KCC Highways to to explain why they treat bus passengers and others with such contempt with their 'co-ordination'."

Highways England and KCC Highways have been contated for comment.

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