Motorists face long diversions tonight and for another nine nights as KCC shuts a key route out of Maidstone for essential repairs.

The highways authority is closing the Loose Road between the Wheatsheaf Junction with the Sutton Road, and the Swan Crossroads, junction with Boughton Lane and Cripple Street, overnight from 8pm until five in the morning.

The diversion is via the A274 Sutton Road, Plough Wents Road, and the B2163 Heath Road to rejoin the A229 at Linton crossroads., and vice versa, adding around three miles to the journey.

Traffic wanting to exit from Boughton Lane will need to travel via Bottlescrew Hill, Beresford Hill, and Church Street to join the main diversion.

The closures are for what KCC calls "Pothole Blitz" carriageway repairs.

The closure will continue with the last night being on Thursday, May 27.

The Loose Road is the main route between Maidstone and the villages of Marden and Staplehurst.

Further details from www.kenttraffic.info

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