An MP is urging road bosses to postpone the closure of a busy route until the height of the holiday season is over.

Gordon Henderson (Con), who represents Sittingbourne and Sheppey, says work to replace gas mains along Queenborough Road, Halfway, should not take place until the winter months, when “any disruption can be better managed”.

It comes as Kent County Council (KCC) issued a notice about part of Queenborough Road being closed for four weeks.

The authority said the section of the route, near Uplands Way, would be shut from Thursday, July 22, with estimated completion by Thursday, August 19.

A KCC spokesman said: “The closure is required for the safety of the public and workforce while gas main replacement works are undertaken by SGN.”

The alternative route for any through traffic, he added, would be via Queenborough Road, Main Road, A249 Brielle Way, A250 Bridge Road, Millennium Way, Trinity Way, Trinity Road, Cavour Road, Invicta Road, High Street and Halfway Road.

Mr Henderson said: “A number of constituents have contacted me expressing concern that the works will have a huge impact on the Island at the height of the holiday season, when roads are much busier anyway.

“I agree with them and have written already to both the Director of Kent Highways and the Chief Executive of SGN to object in the strongest possible terms to the work being carried out at this time, and I have urged them to postpone it until the winter months when any disruption can be better managed. I will continue to work with KCC to keep disruption for my constituents on Sheppey at a minimum.”

For more on the closure, call SGN on 0800 111999.

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