Residents in Sittingbourne and the surrounding area are facing increased concerns over traffic congestion following the government’s decision to scrap planned improvements to the Brenley Corner junction. On 3 April 2026, Helen Whately, the Member of Parliament for Faversham and Mid Kent, confirmed that the project has been removed from the Road Investment Strategy 3, which outlines transport spending through 2031. The government has also stated the upgrade is not being considered for future planning cycles in the 2030s.
The decision comes after assessments by National Highways concluded there was no significant network need to justify a major enhancement at the junction. This is despite Brenley Corner, which links the A2, M2, and A299, experiencing regular rush hour congestion and additional pressure when traffic management measures like Operation Brock divert heavy goods vehicles through the area.
The cancellation has sparked alarm regarding the impact on local infrastructure following the recent approval of thousands of new homes. On 10 March 2026, the Swale Borough Council approved a 2,500-home development by the Duchy of Cornwall, despite hundreds of objections citing infrastructure capacity. A separate development at Winterbourne Fields, featuring 1,800 homes, has also been approved. Forecasts for that project suggest that once 400 of those homes are occupied, the number of vehicles queuing to exit the M2 at Faversham could increase nearly fivefold during morning peak times.
Swale Borough Council has previously stated that regional housing growth depends on investment at the junction, leading to questions about whether the council will revisit its recent planning approvals. In response to the government’s announcement, Helen Whately is calling on residents to sign a petition urging a rethink on the scale of housing development planned for the area.
The local political landscape has also shifted since the 2025 Kent County Council election, which saw the council move under the control of Reform UK. Officials are now considering how the lack of infrastructure investment will affect the community in the coming years.
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