A2 summer roadworks 'are insane'

MP Roger Gale will raise the timing of the roadworks in Parliament

A Kent MP is criticising a decision to carry out roadworks on a section of the A2 for seven weeks over the summer.

The Highways Agency is replacing steel safety fencing along a section of the road at Boughton Street in north Kent.

Roger Gale, the MP for North Thanet, said the scheduling was insane and has tabled parliamentary questions to ask why the work was beginning on Monday.

The Highways Agency said it had to start now in order to avoid a clash with planned M20 work in September.

Mr Gale said: "They are planned maintenance works and they could have been carried out at any time during one of the driest springs for years or during the coming autumn.

This work on the A2 does need to be done Highways Agency spokesman

"In addition to the daily commuting traffic, there are hundreds of foreign visitors to the UK using the A2 throughout the summer."

Mr Gale said his questions were due to be asked in the House of Commons this week.

The roadworks on a 6.25-mile (10km) section of the A2 will take place between 0930 BST and 1600 BST until 8 September.

Lane one of the road will be closed between Boughton and Harbledown.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "The traffic flow does not significantly increase during the time we are planning the works as it is an off-peak period.

"There is work planned on the M20 just down the road starting in early September.

"We don't want the works to clash and this work on the A2 does need to be done."