Work to turn a major route into and out of Canterbury into a one-way system has been pushed back - again.

Highways bosses devised a plan to ease traffic issues on the gridlocked A28 in Wincheap, which is used by motorists travelling between Ashford and the city.

The controversial proposal would see the road used almost solely by cars heading out of the city.

Despite fierce opposition from residents and businesses, the work was meant to start on Monday and was set to last until late-autumn.

But the changes have since been pushed back due to delays with the residential element of the scheme.

It is another setback for the project, which was originally set to begin last summer but was delayed until the new year.

The scheme 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 mile away from Wincheap, will be footing the bill for the new traffic system.

Wincheap Society treasurer Barney Parsons, 71, welcomed the news the scheme had been delayed.

“It has given us relief and more time to organise against the scheme,” he said.

“We now probably have until early-summer to try to get a solution to the stupidity of the scheme organised so it can be put to those in charge to mitigate the effects or do something completely different.”

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”.

Mr Parsons, who lives in Martyrs Field Road, described the scheme as “mad, bad and dangerous” - a reference to a phrase used to describe poet Lord Byron by one of his lovers.

“Residents who live in the main part of Wincheap are going to be very inconvenienced,” he added.

“To approach where you live in the south, you will go round the gyratory system, out of the industrial estate onto the A28 and round Wincheap roundabout.

“It means there will be even more traffic on it.”

Business owners and residents have previously raised concerns it will kill passing trade and branded it an “utter waste of money”.

Others have questioned 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 park and ride vehicles exiting the industrial estate, with traffic heading in the opposite direction having to stop and allow the buses to exit.

When the work does get underway, it has been confirmed Wincheap will not be sealed off, but parts of the road may be closed for a few nights at the end of the project for re-surfacing.

Glenn Holliday, head of technical for Redrow, said: “We will continue to progress the Wincheap scheme as part of our overall planning consent with Canterbury City Council.

“Unfortunately, the works will be delivered on a later schedule than originally anticipated due to delays in the residential element of planning consent being granted.

“However, the timescale for the project will remain the same once work is able to begin.

“We always strive to keep inconvenience to a minimum for local residents and businesses and we continue to work with the local council and community to ensure works cause as little disruption as possible.”

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

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

The scheme is set to be discussed at the Canterbury Joint Transportation Board, a meeting with the city and county councils, at The Guildhall on Tuesday.