Operation Brock: M20 traffic controls to remain until May

Lorries heading for the Channel ports can be held on the M20 when Operation Brock is in place

The lorry holding system for traffic heading towards the Channel ports is to remain in place until at least the 2 May bank holiday.

Operation Brock, where lorries heading to Dover queue on one side of the M20, was put in place after P&O Ferries services were suspended in March.

The ferry company sparked outrage after sacking 800 staff and replacing them with cheaper agency workers.

Cross-Channel capacity is still down a third, the Kent Resilience Forum said.

Simon Jones, from the forum, said: "This decision was not taken lightly, and all partners acknowledge the impact of keeping the M20 contraflow in place has on people's day to day journeys.

"But with limited capacity at the Port of Dover, with P&O's ferries still out of service, the traffic management system will continue to help everyone on the move reach their destination as quickly and safely as possible."

Kent County Council (KCC) said disruption caused by removing the contraflow barrier overnight would be "significant".

A view of lorries using Operation Brock on the M20 near Ashford in Kent

The Kent Resilience Forum previously told the BBC problems had created a "perfect storm", with traffic disruption around Dover in the last few weeks the worst it has been since 2020.

Operation Brock normally has the capacity for about 2,000 lorries, but it had been holding up to 4,000, according to the forum, which manages emergency planning for the county.

The Dover Traffic Access Protocol (TAP) scheme, which queues port-bound lorries on the nearside of the A20 outside the town, was also implemented due to heavy lorry volumes.

Nicola Bell, National Highways Regional Director, said: "Operation Brock is currently working well. It's helping us manage flows of HGVs to Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover and the M20 contraflow is open in both directions to all other traffic."

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