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Operation Brock M20 barrier test as Brexit date looms

Highways England Highways EnglandHighways England
A moveable barrier was put in place on the M20 on Friday

A motorway barrier system designed to deal with potential traffic disruption in Kent at the end of the Brexit transition period is being tested.

Highways England and the Kent Resilience Forum began a trial of Operation Brock on Friday night.

Brock allows the M20 to stay open if HGVs heading for Dover port have to queue during cross-Channel disruption.

The motorway will be closed overnight until Tuesday, with contraflows in the daytime and diversions in place.

Authorities have warned of the potential for delays when new border controls are implemented from 1 January.

PA Media Operation BrockPA Media
Cones were used last year but a new, quicker barrier is being tested

During the live test, the moveable barrier, which is used to create a new motorway layout with two different levels of contraflow systems, is being installed and removed.

Previous systems saw cones and metal barriers installed, but a new, quicker barrier is now being used.

Highways England Machines used to install barrierHighways England
Machines, seen here testing the system at Manston, are used to install the Brock concrete barrier

Highways England operations director for the South East, Nicola Bell, said it was "a valuable dress rehearsal".

She said: "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."

Graphic showing diversions
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Operation Brock is just one part of Operation Fennel, a series of escalating traffic systems designed to cope with up to 7,000 HGVs in Kent. The overall plan includes:

  • TAP 20 which can hold 500 HGVs on the A20
  • Operation Brock under which 2,000 trucks can queue on the M20
  • Brock Manston which would see 4,000 lorries park in Thanet
  • TAP 256 which can hold up to 450 HGVs on the A256
  • The Sevington inland border facility near Ashford which holds 1,200 lorries
  • Further car parks at Ebbsfleet and Waterbrook
  • Lastly, Operation Stack, which would bring M20 closures, can be used but would be implemented as a last resort
Kent Resilience Forum Operation FennelKent Resilience Forum
Operation Fennel is an escalating series of plans to deal with traffic flow