Motorists using a major route into and out of Kent's only city face 10 months of roadworks hell as a "completely mad" one-way system is installed.

The notoriously gridlocked A28 in Wincheap is used daily by thousands of drivers travelling between Ashford and Canterbury, so highways bosses have devised a plan to ease the traffic.

The proposal - which would see the road used almost solely by cars heading out of the city - has proved controversial, with many critics hoping it would be scrapped.

But despite fierce opposition from residents and businesses, Kent County Council has announced it will start work on the project in January, and warned it will last until late autumn.

When complete, motorists heading into Canterbury from the Ashford direction will be diverted through the Wincheap Industrial Estate along Simmonds Road, which will become a one-way carriageway with two lanes.

Only buses and cyclists will be allowed to travel city-bound along the A28 - between Cow Lane and the Maiden's Head pub - with traffic in the opposite direction continuing as normal.

The £3 million transformation of the 540-metre stretch is viewed by KCC as a way of "considerably easing congestion" and improving "quality of life in the area".

But the project is almost universally disliked.

Among the critics is long-term owner of Wincheap furniture shop Bits 'n' Pieces, Brian Robinson, who fears for the future of Canterbury's main western suburb.

"Everyone in Wincheap is going to suffer because of this; it will kill my passing trade," he said.

"At the moment, trade is almost non-existent because people avoid the area. But if they do this one-way system then traffic will be even worse.

"No one will come this way. Canterbury is going downhill and soon businesses will cease to exist.

"I've been here more than 30 years, but I don't know if I'll be here in 12 months.

"Wincheap itself doesn't have a problem - it's each end of Wincheap which causes the issues, at the roundabout on the ring-road and the multiple traffic lights by the A2.

"Making it one-way isn't going to achieve anything. Locals know you go through the industrial estate to avoid the worst of the traffic, but sending everyone through there will be terrible.

"It's a disastrous idea - it'll be like the Westgate Towers traffic trial from 10 years ago. It will be hell."

Mr Robinson's anger is shared by veteran Wincheap councillor Nick Eden-Green.

"It's as plain as a pikestaff that this is an utter waste of time, and an utter waste of money," the Lib Dem representative said.

"Absolutely no one wants it to happen. Speaking to residents and businesses, the term banded around the most is 'bonkers'.

"That's what this scheme is, it's completely mad. It simply does not bypass Wincheap."

With the one-way system due to become operational late next year, the lengthy roadworks preceding the gyratory's launch have been labelled a "kick in the teeth".

Work rejigging the A28 and the neighbouring industrial estate is due to start on Monday, January 9, and last for 10 months.

The project was approved when the 400-home development at Cockering Farm in Thanington was green-lit by the city council more than four years ago.

Redrow, the firm delivering the homes a ile away from Wincheap, will be footing the bill for the new traffic system.

In a letter sent to residents last week, Instintif Partners - a firm writing on behalf of the housebuilder and KCC - stressed the benefits of the project.

"Redrow is committed to improving infrastructure for residents and businesses alike," the letter reads.

"The new relief road and upgrades to Simmonds Road, Cow Lane and Hollow Lane will help considerably ease congestion for residents in Canterbury, improving journey times, road safety and quality of life in the area."

The letter, which includes a vague satellite image of western Canterbury taken from Google Maps, has an email address listed for residents to send feedback to.

However, many locals have complained that any messages sent have been bounced back.

Martyrs' Field Road resident and councillor Derek Maslin wants to see the planning permission revoked.

"I don't see how it will improve the flow," he said.

"Yes, you're helping buses travel freely, but that is one small gain against a big loss.

"It doesn't solve anything and I think the best course of action is to not go ahead with it. It'd be better to leave it as it is.

"Planning permission should be revoked. No one wants it to happen, and I doubt the developers paying for it want to do it. The money allocated for the scheme could be redistributed."

Others have raised concerns as to whether the industrial estate can cater for thousands of extra cars a day. Lorries will be sent through the gyratory and exit at the Maiden's Head.

The tight bend is already a bottleneck for when park and ride vehicles exit the industrial estate, with traffic heading in the opposite direction having to stop and allow the buses to exit.

Cllr Eden-Green also questions the long-term thinking behind the scheme.

'The term banded around the most is 'bonkers'...'

"This doesn't join up with the city' council's draft Local Plan, in which it wants to ban people driving between neighbourhoods," he said.

"This isn't part of the outer bypass they have planned. So this new scheme will just be redundant in 10 to 20 years."

In stressing the scheme is "far from a done deal", Cllr Eden-Green hopes KCC will put the plans out for public consultation.

Yet with the planning permission having been secured already, there is nothing stopping the works from proceeding.

Planning conditions stipulate that the one-way system must be introduced before the 35th house is built at Cockering Farm.

Kent County Council has been approached for comment.