Operation Brock barrier to go out for a week before Christmas
- Kent Resilience Forum
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) has confirmed that Operation Brock will be deployed before Christmas in anticipation of high passenger numbers heading through Kent to Europe.
A contraflow system will be in place on the M20, coastbound, between Junctions 8 & 9 with a reduced speed limit to allow a dedicated lane to be created for HGVs to queue, if needed.
It will be activated on Tuesday 16th December, after work to install it overnight on Monday 15th December. It is planned to be removed overnight on Monday 22nd December, with the motorway reopening as normal on Tuesday 23rd December.
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.
KMRF Strategic Lead for border disruption, Simon Jones, said: “We do understand the decision to use Brock at busy times is not always popular, and we don’t take the decision lightly, but the predicted number of crossings over the festive period fully support its deployment.
“We will endeavour to only keep the Brock barrier on the M20 for the minimum amount of time absolutely necessary and we will continue to use the permit scheme for hauliers going through Brock.
“This means we can deny lorries access who have cut the queue, helping to improve Brock compliance while keeping key roads moving for local communities, and hopefully making sure everyone can safely get to where they need to be.”
Meanwhile, should traffic start to build, 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 up 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