Operation Brock barrier to be removed as holiday traffic eases

The Operation Brock barrier will be removed this weekend due to a decrease in expected tourist traffic, the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) has confirmed.

The contraflow system was installed on the M20 overnight on the 16^th July, between Junctions 8 and 9 of the M20. It will be removed overnight on Sunday 17^th August.

Although there is no longer a need to queue freight on the motorway within Operation Brock, the Dover traffic management plan and additional crews will remain to make sure any unexpected disruption within the town is kept to a minimum.

Using Operation Brock over the last few weeks, which enables freight to be held in a queue on the M20 at peak times, successfully prevented KMRF partners having to close the Roundhill Tunnel for the entire period of one of the busiest summer getaways on record.

A spokesperson for the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum said: “We want to thank Kent residents and businesses for their patience while the barrier has been out this summer to help manage the flow of freight to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

“When we announced we were putting the barrier out, we committed to removing it as soon as the data showed that would be possible and we are pleased to deliver on that promise.

“Our work with central Government to identify a better traffic management solution will continue.”

The decision to use this traffic management measure is made collectively by the KMRF, a partnership of agencies including Kent Police, Kent County Council, and National Highways and is based on data provided by partner agencies.

ENDS