County road chiefs are considering bidding for a major government contract that would see KCC handed the job of looking after motorways and other main roads in Kent and Sussex.

The county council, in partnership with two companies, is among seven possible bidders for a seven-year contract that would involve it maintaining and operating an additional 950km of motorways and trunk roads, some of which spill over into Surrey and Hampshire.

The motorways covered by the contract include the M20 and M2 but exclude the M25. It also includes parts of the M23; stretches of the A2; the A21; the A259 and the A249.

The maintenance contract has been put out to tender by the Higways Agency, the government body responsible for motorways and trunk roads. The current contract is due to end next year.

KCC's interest has already been criticised by the Labour opposition group at County Hall. Cllr Roger Truelove, the party’s spokesman on roads, said the council was still getting to grips with a major re-organisation of its highways department and should be focusing on looking after its own road network.

He said: "I am very surprised by this. When Kent is really struggling to maintain its own highways and there are so many problems with deficiencies and capacity, why is it looking to take on something else?

"When local residents want something as simple as a traffic calming scheme, it takes ages for KCC to do anything. It is debatable whether this is the way forward."

Kent already has one of the largest road networks in the country, with the council responsible for the maintainance of more than 5,000 miles of roads and 4,000 miles of pavement. It also maintains 170,000 road drains and 300 miles of cycle routes.

KCC said it was unable to discuss the possible bid and declined to answer questions about how the contract would be beneficial, saying the information was commercially sensitive.

In a statement, Cllr Keith Ferrin (Con), cabinet member for roads, said: "Motorways and trunk roads in Kent are maintained and managed by the Government's Highways Agency. The maintenance contract for these roads is currently out to tender.

"Kent Highway Services is considering bidding for the contract in a joint venture with its business partners in the Kent Highway Alliance. Discussions are still at a very early stage and are, therefore, commercially sensitive."