Operation Brock announced for five weeks ahead of summer travel period
- Kent Resilience Forum
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) will deploy Operation Brock this summer to ensure disruption to communities is kept to a minimum in the face of increased traffic on the county’s roads.
The Operation Brock contraflow system will be in place on the coastbound M20 between Junctions 8 & 9, with a reduced speed limit, creating dedicated lanes for HGVs to queue.
The barrier will be installed on the evening of Monday 13th July and the M20 will reopen on Tuesday 14th July. The barrier will remain in place until Monday 24th August.
Acting as a pressure valve to minimise the impact of congestion further down the motorway, Operation Brock allows traffic to use the M20 in both directions through a contraflow system. It also reduces the risk of having to close the Roundhill Tunnel near Folkestone, which can cause disruption on local roads and impact local communities. Permitting will be in place to maximise compliance and keep freight on the M20 and A20.
Similar to the May half term holidays, the KMRF will also have Lydden Hill Race Circuit available at particularly busy times as a last resort contingency site for passenger traffic. The site will only be used during a major disruptive event to support fluidity and would provide authorities with a safe off road area that passenger traffic may temporarily use enroute to Dover.
KMRF Strategic Lead for Border Disruption, Simon Jones, said: “Summer is a busy time on Kent’s roads, and we have a responsibility to make sure communities across the county are not disrupted.
“Our aim in deploying Operation Brock is always to reduce the impact of potential disruption to residents and businesses in Kent and Medway.
“We do not take the decision to deploy the barrier lightly but we must take the measure necessary to keep everyone safe during busy travel seasons.”
The KMRF is advising drivers to check their route before setting off, allow extra time for the journey and pack the car with essentials including food, water, medication and anything else you or your passengers may need if caught in traffic.
ENDS
Further information
· A good place to start is KCC’s Check Before You Travel page
· National Highways travel updates can be found here
· Weather forecasts, warnings and information from the Met Office can be found here
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