Road set for closures to end lorry queueing system

Operation Brock is brought in during busy periods on a stretch of the M20

Overnight road closures will be in place in Kent to lift a traffic-holding system for lorries queueing to cross the English Channel.

Sections of the M20 will be closed overnight from Sunday into Monday to remove the Operation Brock contraflow system.

The motorway will be closed London-bound between junctions nine and eight, and coastbound from junction seven (Maidstone/Sittingbourne) to nine (Ashford).

The closures will be in place from 20:00 GMT on Sunday to 06:00 on Monday.

The 13-mile (21km) system sees lorries heading to Dover queue on one side of the M20 with the other carriageway operating as a contraflow, with traffic travelling in both directions.

It has been in place between junctions eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford) since 16 December to help with anticipated high passenger numbers during the Christmas getaway.

Diversions will be in place and National Highways has advised drivers to follow signs rather than sat-nav instructions.

Sean Martell, National Highways head of service delivery for the South East, said: "Our job is to keep the country moving and while Operation Brock helps us to do that, it wouldn't be as effective without the patience and understanding of those living and working locally.

"We appreciate people's support and we only implement and remove the contraflow when we believe the traffic conditions and intelligence we have around activity at the channel crossings supports those decisions."