A main road which was shut for eight months is to close for a further 10 weeks in May, sparking anger among motorists.

Drivers faced 32 weeks of traffic hell last year after contractors shut Newtown Road in Ashford in April as part of the Designer Outlet expansion.

It is now set to be closed again from Monday, May 13 to Friday, July 19, causing delays across the town for two-and-a-half months as drivers find alternative routes.

Gary Taylor, landlord of the Alfred Arms in Newtown Road, says he is not looking forward to the upcoming closure.

“We had it for eight months and I think it’s absolutely disgusting that they will shut it for another 10 weeks,” he said.

“People just weren’t turning up to the pub, and people had to pay a huge taxi fare to go all the way around just to get back into Ashford.

“It’s not good that they need to shut it again.

“I think that they’re looking after one business - the Designer Outlet - and letting other businesses suffer.

“The amount of time they had that road shut, they should have got everything completed that was needed.”

A Designer Outlet spokesman was unable to confirm which ‘improvement works’ will be carried out, but it is believed a pedestrian crossing will be put in close to the junction with Romney Marsh Road during the closure.

Traffic calming measures are also expected to be installed.

Mr Taylor added: “I don’t think the Newtown area will benefit from it, it’s just for the Designer Outlet.

“We’re not getting anything out of it except for grief.

“As you come out of Newtown, turning right there’s a great big lump and I know that bus drivers are having difficulties there."

Ahead of the eight-month closure last year, transport chiefs at Ashford Borough Council (ABC) said they did not know Newtown Road would be closed for eight months until reading about it in the Kentish Express.

The outlet extension, which is costing £90m, is expected to open in the autumn, adding 50 new shops to the site.

Centre manager Peter Corr said: "Our construction partners, McLaren and Walker Construction, have advised that in order to complete the Newtown Road improvement works in their entirety an additional closure for a shorter period of time is required this spring.

"The closure will be in place from May, however, we are currently in discussions to determine exact dates, as well as the easiest, safest and most efficient way to complete the remaining road improvement works with minimal disruption to residents and commuters.

"As soon as a decision has been reached we will share further information via resident letters and commuter leaflets."

This is what the Outlet is expected to look like

Cllr David Smith, Ashford Independent and ward member for South Willesborough, says there seems to be a "lack of information" about the closure.

The Royds Road resident said: "It will be 10 weeks of chaos and upset.

"I believe efforts will be made to try to cut the closure down, but they want 10 weeks.

"I don't think these works could be done until the new units at the outlet went in and they want to put in a proper crossing point.

"I think they want to get it done before the school holidays start in the summer [in July]."

"But people are going to be extremely upset about it.

"For people living in Newtown, the alternative route is via the Orbital Park, but then they hit the roadworks on the A2070 and have difficulty there.

"People can go via Boys Hall Road and into Willesborough to get to town, but that puts more pressure on that part of town as it becomes a rat-run.

"People who use taxis also suffer, with some fares doubling.

"A lot of the drivers have been very good and shut their meters down, but for some people it can be double the fare.

"The pubs [The Albion and The Alfred Arms] are going to feel the pinch again.

"They said they had a noticeable drop in trade during the previous closure last year."