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Drone footage shows Stockbury flyover progress and partial roundabout closure near M2 junction 5 for Sittingbourne, Sheppey and Maidstone
05:00, 06 October 2023
updated: 11:31, 06 October 2023
Drone footage has revealed the progress being made on the Stockbury flyover project.
Contractors are continuing to work on National Highways’ multi-million-pound M2 junction 5 improvements which began two years ago.
This includes newly opened slip roads and the partial closure of a busy roundabout.
The drone footage comes just as the two-month partial closure of the Stockbury roundabout began.
On Wednesday, October 4, the northern section of the roundabout was closed between the A249 Sheppey-bound exit and A249 Maidstone-bound. It is to remain shut until the end of November.
This controversial closure came as a section of the M2 London-bound on-slip reopened earlier than planned after a two-week closure.
However, there is currently no direct access to the on-slip from the Stockbury roundabout.
The left lane on the Maidstone-bound A249 (from Sittingbourne) is only for traffic wishing to join the M2 using the new slip.
Traffic wishing to get to Stockbury roundabout must use the right lane.
There is no access to the Stockbury roundabout from the left lane of the A249 southbound.
A spokesman for National Highways said: “We appreciate that closures and roadworks can be frustrating, and we’d like to thank everyone for your on-going patience and understanding while we work to improve M2 junction 5 Stockbury Roundabout to provide a safer junction for everyone.”
The partial roundabout closure has been put in place following the arrival of the first flyover bridge beams to the Maidstone side of the Stockbury roundabout.
A 500-tonne mega crane placed 18 pre-cast beams to make up the new road deck on the south of the flyover in August.
Discussing the closure of the roundabout, the spokesman explained: “As the Sheppey-side bridge section is so close to the roundabout, to allow us to continue with construction safely, we've temporarily closed the northern section of Stockbury roundabout between the A249 Sheppey-bound exit and A249 Maidstone-bound entry.”
While the closure is underway National Highways is also taking the opportunity to start on the central flyover support and walls within the Stockbury roundabout.
A diversion is in place via the A249 Sheppey-bound to Bobbing roundabout and return on the A249 Maidstone-bound carriageway.
For traffic accessing the A249 from the M2 coastbound, motorists must use the dedicated off slip to join the A249 Sheppey-bound, you can not access the roundabout directly from the M2.
The entrance onto Key Street from the A249 Sheppey-bound is also closed, this is to help keep traffic stay on the formal diversion route and avoid clashing with other traffic management on the A2.
The project is expected to cost between £50-£100million and will be completed some time in 2025.
For more information about the Stockbury flyover project visit the M2 junction 5 National Highways website here.
Traffic wishing to access Key Street will need to use Sheppey Way via the Bobbing roundabout.