Queues of lorries signals the start of the holiday season in Kent – Library image
To ‘help’ Kent cope with the high demand for cross-Channel crossings in July and August, Operation Brock, the temporary traffic system regularly rolled out to ‘manage’ lorries waiting to board ferries or shuttles will be back on the M20.
Brock, splits the M20 into two sections: one for lorries heading to Dover, and the other for regular traffic in both directions with speed limits in place.
The Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) said the system, which was suspended last month, will resume on Thursday 13 July.
Operation Brock covers a 13-mile section of the motorway between junctions eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford).
Its aim is to minimise disruption by directing lorries bound for mainland Europe onto the coastbound carriageway of the motorway.
Simon Jones, KRF’s strategic planning lead is reported saying they decided to activate Brock to “ease congestion” and “protect the local road network” by managing freight traffic to the Port of Dover and Le Shuttle.
“The decision to deploy Operation Brock is never taken lightly and is based on data and intelligence that clearly shows there is a potential risk of disruption on routes to the Port of Dover and Le Shuttle,” he said.
Mr Jones added they would monitor the situation closely and adjust the system as needed.