FRUSTRATED motorists fed up with sitting in tailbacks on Sheppey's only link road to the mainland are being given the chance to plan their journeys on and off the island.

Islanders and mainlanders who use the Kingsferry Bridge can now sign up to a free e-mail notification system, which will let them know when commercial bridge lifts will take place.

Medway Ports, which runs the Port of Sheerness, has funded a website for the service, which is also supported by Island based firm Checkmate UK, Kent Police, the Highways Agency, Sheppey Route Ltd and Carillion, who are all part of the A249 Liaison Committee.

Maria Clarke, Medway Ports press officer, said the idea for the website and e-mail service came from the committee, which meets regularly to discuss issues affecting members while the Second Swale Crossing is built.

She said: "We can't solve the problems. The only thing that will do that is the second bridge. But we felt we ought to really do whatever we could."

The e-mails will be sent out by Medway Navigation once or twice daily at approximately 5am and 3pm. It will also operate at weekends.

Users will only be told the approximate times of scheduled commercial bridge lifts, mainly large boats using nearby Ridham Dock, but the service cannot predict lifts for leisure craft using The Swale.

Businesses on the island were guinea pigs for the system while teething problems were resolved, but now individuals will also be able to take advantage of the early warnings.

The service, which will run for the duration of the construction period of the Second Swale Crossing, will also be used by Kent Police to tell drivers when there has been an accident on the A249.

The site also provides links to other relevant websites related to the construction of the new bridge and useful contacts.

* To subscribe to the e-mail notification service log on to www.kingsferrybridge.co.uk and click on the mailing list link.