Highways England is analysing the results of specialist geotechnical surveys after a burst water main caused a hole to appear on the northbound A249 near Sittingbourne in Kent last week.

The surveys, results for which are due at the end of this week, will determine the extent of the damage beneath the highway and allow the strategic road network operator to plan repair work.

This latest incident follows appearance of a 5m deep dene hole in the central reserve of the nearby M2 in Kent – between junctions 5 and 6 – in February 2014.

The A249’s northbound carriageway has been closed between the A2 and the Bobbing junction to the north and is likely to remain as such until at least the end of January. The southbound A249 remains open.

A Highways England spokesman explained that the burst water main – which is located 15m under the road and was repaired by Southern Water last week – likely led to a very significant volume of water eroding the soil away.

Highways England said the northbound A249 will be reopened as soon as it is safe to do so once repairs to the damage underneath the carriageway have been completed. It is currently unsafe to reopen the outside lane as surveys have not confirmed the stability of the ground underneath it.

Detailed reports from Highways England’s geotechnical surveys are not expected back until Friday.

Photo: Highways England