M2 motorway remains closed after sinkhole appears

A 10-mile section of a busy motorway remains closed after the discovery yesterday of a 15ft-deep hole in the central reservation.

The section is on the M2 in north Kent, between junction 5 near Sittingbourne and junction 6 south of Faversham.

The hole - about 16ft long and 6ft wide - led to the section being closed from early yesterday afternoon, leading to big tailbacks on routes leading to and from the Kent coast.

The Highways Agency (HA) said work was continuing to find out what caused the hole to open and that the section remained closed for safety reasons.

The agency went on: "Drivers heading to and from Dover are advised to use the M20. The Highways Agency and its contractors are working hard with partners, including the emergency services and Kent County Council, to minimise disruption as much as possible.

"This has included ensuring any planned roadworks are not carried out on nearby local and strategic roads. Lanes on the M2 will only be reopened to traffic as soon it is safe to do so."

The agency said engineers were joined on site by emergency services including Kent Fire & Rescue Service. Cameras are being used to investigate the extent and nature of the hole.

The HA added that the site had been monitored overnight, while equipment and materials were being organised and deployed to the site ready for the agency's contractors to start work as soon as it is safe to do so.

A signed diversion is in place via the A249, the M20, the A20, the A252 and the A251.