The M20 in Kent will be closed for four nights from Friday 11 December as Highways England prepares for post-Brexit travel disruption.
During what is called a ‘dress rehearsal’, a moveable barrier system will be used to create a new layout with a contraflow system. The aim is to allow traffic to continue moving in both directions on the M20 at the same time as port-bound lorries are queued on the coast-bound carriageway.
It’s part of Operation Brock, a series of measures designed to keep the M20 motorway open in both directions using a contraflow system. Highways England says the moveable barrier is quicker to deploy than previous systems, which took weeks to install and remove.
The M20 will be closed coast-bound between junction seven (Maidstone) and junction nine (Ashford), and London-bound between junctions nine and eight (Maidstone East), overnight (8pm to 8am) on 11, 12, 13 and 14 December. Signed diversions will be in place until 8am on 15 December.
With the contraflow in place, lorries heading for mainland Europe will be routed along the motorway at speeds restricted to 30mph. Other traffic will be directed onto the contraflow, with two lanes in each direction operating at 50mph.
The moveable barrier will be returned to the London-bound hard shoulder when it’s not in use.
‘Valuable dress rehearsal’
Highways England south east operations director Nicola Bell said: “We have again worked extensively with our partners in Kent and are confident that this test will provide a valuable dress rehearsal into the operation of our Kent-wide port disruption contingency measures. The test will help us to fine tune Operation Brock, finding ways to make the deployment quicker whenever the barrier is needed, whether it be in preparation for transition, or other disruption to cross-channel services.
“Operation Brock will keep Kent moving, and we thank road users in advance for their patience while the test is taking place.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps added: “Kent is a critical link to one of our busiest trade routes, and this state-of-the-art technology will ensure that we can keep the local road network moving.
“Testing this barrier now will ensure that if the system is needed it can be quickly and safely deployed, helping drivers get to where they need to be – even in the event of disruption at the end of the transition period and to assist with any other future disruption caused for any reason.”
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