Repair works to the Medway Tunnel are going to be funded by the government.

Medway Council has been awarded £4.972 million for the tunnel which connects Strood to Chatham and Gillingham.

The tunnel, which is used by 50,000 drivers a day, will benefit from a share of £93.4 million handed out by the Department for Transport.

A total of 32 local authorities across the country are due to receive the money aiming to improve journeys.

Medway put in a bid for the funding and will contribute £2.91 million towards the project.

They will spend it on ventilation fans, crash barriers, a vehicle monitoring system and slip road improvements.

In December, KentOnline reported how the repairs were thrown into doubt due to a lack of funding.

Cllr Phil Filmer (Con), portfolio holder for frontline services, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be awarded nearly £5 million funding.

"This comes as a result of the continuous lobbying and meetings with the Transport Secretary by Medway Council for government funding for an essential part of Medway’s infrastructure.

"We are committed to keeping Medway moving.”

The government also announced this morning it will invest £900,000 to fund research projects into technology which can improve the UK's roads.

The tunnel was opened by Princess Anne in 1996.

Meanwhile, there will be overnight road closures in the tunnel between Monday and next Friday from 8pm to 6am to allow for regular maintenance works.

The news comes four months after it was announced the nearby Medway City Estate was to get a new congestion-busting slip road.

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