Highways England

Operation Brock will be back from Monday

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The contraflow traffic management system around Dover called Operation Brock will be back in place from Monday, 19 July – Kent Online reported. 

Highways England justifies the reinstalling of the barriers with the increased traveller numbers they expect after all the covid-related restrictions will be lifted in the UK and school holidays start.

It is a precautionary measure taken by the government and Kent Resilience Forum in anticipation of increased international travel by car drivers from Monday via the Eurotunnel or Port of Dover” – reads the local paper.

When Operation Brock is in force, drivers who don’t follow the signs risk a fine of £300.

What is Operation Brock?

The two most important components of Operation Brock are the A20 Dover Traffic Assessment Project and the moveable barrier on the M20.

The A20 Dover Traffic Assessment Project is a queuing system that holds lorries until space becomes available at the port of Dover. Lorries heading to the port will have to queue in the nearside (left) lane of the A20 after the Roundhill Tunnel to prevent Dover from becoming congested with traffic.

40mph speed restriction will apply to all vehicles approaching Dover from the west via the A20. The speed limit will apply all day, every day.

However, the most visible and most hated part of Operation Brock is the moveable barrier on the M20. This is a system of portable concrete barriers deployed on the M20 motorway to manage traffic heading to the port of Dover or to the Eurotunnel.

The barriers can be deployed quickly between junctions 8 and 9 of the M20 to create a contraflow. Lorries heading to the port of Dover and/or to the Eurotunnel will be held on the coastbound carriageway.

When not required, the barriers can be removed within several hours to make the M20 return to normal conditions and allow lorries to drive at 70mph.

Works during the weekend on M20

To install the barriers the M20 will close at 8pm on Saturday night (July 17) between junctions 7 and 9, with both carriageways set to reopen by 8am on Sunday 18 July with the contraflow active.

The A20 Roundhill Tunnel near Folkestone will also be closed overnight from 11pm on Saturday, July 17 until 5am on Sunday, July 18 for an emergency safety exercise. Signed diversions will be in place.

Once the barrier is in place, the road will reopen in its new configuration, with HGVs and other freight heading for the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel using the coastbound carriageway on the M20, where it will be queued if necessary, reports Kent Online.

All other traffic – including local freight and car drivers headed for the continent – should follow the signs and cross over to enter the contraflow on the M20 London bound carriageway.


Photo credit @ Highways England

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