Latest news with #M20
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Major motorway to CLOSE this evening for vital works with diversion in place
A MAJOR motorway will close this evening for essential roadworks. The road is used by up to 120,000 people per day. 5 5 5 The M20 motorway will be closed this evening for vital works taking place between 8pm and 6am overnight. The closure will take place in both directions between Junctions four and seven. Junction four offers drivers exits for Rochester, meanwhile Junction 7 does so for Maidstone. The closure covers the road's carriageways, slip roads and lanes for planned barrier works. A National Highway spokesperson said: "These times have been chosen to minimise disruption to road users and ensure the roads are suitable for the traffic.' This comes after other parts of the M20 were closed for the same period last night. Westbound, the road was closed between Junctions 9 and 8, between Ashford and Lenham respectively. Eastbound, the closure extended even further from Junction 9 to Junction 7. Signed diversions were put in place to guide drivers to their destination using nearby roads. Both sides of the road were re-opened today, with the usual national speed limit being re-implemented. Drivers warned of travel chaos this Bank Holiday amid M20 closures These closures took place to remove barriers for a contraflow which had been put in place over the bank holiday, to accommodate for heavy traffic during the school holidays. These were rolled out as part of an initiative called Operation Brock. This is a traffic holding system which enables lorries to queue for English Channel crossings. Under Operation Brock, Dover -bound lorries queue on one side of the M20. Meanwhile on the other side of the carriageway, a contraflow enables traffic to run in both directions. The Operation was originally designed for use if the UK had left the European Union with a no-deal Brexit. It is implemented by a group of local authorities called the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF). Today, the BBC has released new data on the system's cost to the taxpayer. Its use over the bank holiday weekend will have cost between £100,000 to £250,000. Across 10 occasions when Operation Brock has been used between 2019 and 2024, it has required more than £2.7 million in funding. Simon Jones, KMRF strategic lead for border disruption, told the BBC that it was never done "without having clear data of increased border crossings to inform our planning". He said: "Until the government agrees permanent, long-term solutions to tackle disruption on Kent's roads and delays at the border during busy periods, Operation Brock is the only option available." 5
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Kent: Is Operation Brock on the M20 worth the money?
Operation Brock is the traffic-holding system for lorries queueing to cross the English Channel that has divided opinion since its behind the scheme say it saves surrounding roads and communities from being impacted whenever there are delays at the Port of Dover or critics of the M20 contraflow say it is too expensive - the cost of deploying it ranging from £100,000 to £250,000.A BBC Freedom of Information request to National Highways revealed Operation Brock cost more than £2.7m to roll out across 10 occasions between 2019-2024. In that time, it cost between £795,000 and £175,000 each time the system was put in by a group of local authorities called the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF), Brock sees Dover-bound lorries queue on one side of the motorway while the other carriageway is split between traffic travelling in both in 2019, it has since been set up between junctions eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford) during periods of anticipated high traffic, such as public holidays and major events. Most recently rolled out for the May Bank Holiday weekend, it was due to be removed overnight on Tuesday having failed to win over some Dover residents."Saturday morning was chaos," said Nikki Bushell from Aycliffe."A lot of the lorries end up blocking key routes and roundabouts and nobody can get out."When it works it's great, but when it doesn't it's hell for local residents."Something more needs to be done, especially when it costs that much each time." Robin Burkhardt, who used to run an antique shop on Snargate Street, said heavy port traffic "destroyed his business". "We had to close up last December because everyone ended up staying away from the area - it caused the town to suffer," he Mitchell, who lives along the M20, said when Brock was in place there was disruption on the roads and lorries were "thundering through" residential said: "I think it's an absolutely disgusting waste of money and quite honestly a sledgehammer to crack a nut."Ms Mitchell said a better solution "should have been put in place much earlier"."It's not doing what it should do, and that's keeping Kent running," she added. A spokesperson for the KMRF said the decision to use Brock, which also involves Kent Police, Kent County Council and National Highways, was "driven by intelligence showing increased cross-Channel bookings for tourist traffic". Simon Jones, KMRF strategic lead for border disruption, added that it was never done "without having clear data of increased border crossings to inform our planning".He said: "Until the government agrees permanent, long-term solutions to tackle disruption on Kent's roads and delays at the border during busy periods, Operation Brock is the only option available."Belinda Totton, business services coordinator at National Highways, said although it was "unfortunate" that a system had to be put in place, "without one we would be unable to maintain the flow of traffic around Kent whenever there was a disruption to travel across the English Channel." She added: "Operation Brock may be an inconvenience, but it is better than us closing the M20 in its entirety to safeguard the local authority roads and surrounding towns."
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Operation Brock to be lifted on M20 with overnight road closure
A traffic-holding system on the M20 installed for lorries queueing to cross the English Channel over the May Bank Holiday weekend and the school half-term is set to be removed week the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum rolled out Operation Brock on the M20 between junction eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford).This system sees lorries heading to Dover queue on one side of the M20 while the other carriageway acts as a contraflow, allowing traffic to travel in both M20 will be closed overnight in both directions from 20:00 until 06:00 BST, between junctions seven to 19 coast-bound and junctions nine to 18 London-bound. A signed diversion will be in place during the closure, with the motorway due to reopen as normal on Wednesday.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Major motorway used by thousands of drivers everyday rolls out hated traffic measure for half term
A MAJOR motorway used by thousands of drivers every day unveiled its hated traffic measures for half term. Operation Brock has commenced on the M20 between junctions eight (Maidstone) and nine(Ashford) by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum. 2 2 The initiative requires lorries bound for Dover to queue on one side of the M20, while the opposite carriageway carries traffic in both directions. A diversion route was set up during the installation, with a contraflow also introduced earlier. HGVs heading towards the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel must follow signs to join Operation Brock at Junction eight of the M20. All other traffic going to the coast, including local freight, must follow the signs and crossover to enter the contraflow on the motorway. All traffic that is travelling through the contraflow must adhere to a 50mph speed limit and, while Brock is in effect, the Junction 8 coast-bound slip road will be closed to all traffic. Those who are planning to head to the Eurotunnel or the port should plan their journeys ahead and check for any updates before heading out. The system has been described as a 'massive inconvenience' for residents, and Kent MPs have questioned whether it is necessary to put it in place during every school holiday. This will mark the second time that Operation Brock has been deployed in 2025, having been reintroduced ahead of the Easter half term in April. The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) said the decision was 'not taken lightly' and was made to help reduce delays at the Port of Dover and in the surrounding areas during the busy period. There is also a possibility that the contraflow could be reinstated for the summer holidays as it was in 2024 reports KentLiveNews. Drivers trapped in freezing conditions as motorway is CLOSED after collision It is yet to be confirmed whether or not the contraflow will make a return for summer 2025, and Kent County Council has said that the KMRF will 'take a view on the traffic management needed over the summer months once more accurate data is available.' However, the government is working on a permanent solution to the problem of congestion at the Port of Dover backing up traffic deep into Kent. The new system would use a combination of new digital technology and off-road sites to hold HGVs during disruption, but is still in the early planning stages. It comes after a lorry crash - with a huge oil spill - sparked "severe" hour-long delays.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Operation Brock rolled out on M20 in Kent again
A traffic-holding system for lorries queueing to cross the English Channel has been deployed ahead of the May Bank Holiday weekend and the school Kent and Medway Resilience Forum rolled out Operation Brock on the M20 between junction eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford).The contraflow was put in place earlier this week and a diversion route was put in place during the Brock sees lorries heading to Dover queue on one side of the M20, with the other carriageway operating as a contraflow, with traffic travelling in both directions. All Heavy Good Vehicle's heading for the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel must follow the signs to join Operation Brock at junction eight of the other coast-bound traffic, including local freight and car drivers heading for mainland Europe, should follow the signs and crossover to enter the contraflow on the M20 London-bound carriageway.
