M20 Operation Brock set to be rolled out again in bid to ease Christmas crossings at Dover

Operation Brock will be implemented on the M20 motorway in Kent from 15 to 22 December to handle Christmas holiday traffic.

The traffic management system will be deployed between junctions eight (Maidstone) and nine (Ashford), following a decision by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF).

The measure aims to manage lorries heading to cross the English Channel during the expected surge in holiday travel.

Operation Brock operates by dedicating one side of the M20 exclusively for lorries queueing to reach Dover.

The opposite carriageway is converted into a contraflow system, allowing traffic to move in both directions.

This arrangement helps maintain traffic flow while managing the high volume of freight vehicles heading to mainland Europe during the busy holiday period.

Simon Jones, KMRF’s Operation Brock strategic lead, said: “The indications from Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover are that we will see some really busy days in the run-up to Christmas and we need to act on that intelligence.”

The implementation comes as authorities prepare for significant increases in cross-Channel traffic during the festive period.

Under the traffic management system, freight vehicles must follow designated HGV routes to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel via the M20 and A20.

A permit scheme, previously tested successfully during the summer, will be activated if lorries need to be filtered down to the port from the M20.

Kent County Council reports the permit system has proven effective in reducing the number of truck drivers attempting to bypass restrictions by queue jumping.