Operation Brock: M20 traffic controls to continue

Operation Brock, the system for holding lorries planning to cross the Channel, will remain until full ferry capacity at Dover returns, officials have said.

Brock, which sees lorries heading to Dover queue on one side of the M20, was put in place after P&O Ferries services were suspended in March.

The Kent Resilience Forum (KRF), which manages Kent's emergency planning, announced the decision on Tuesday.

KRF said the measures were being regularly reviewed.

Simon Jones, strategic planning lead for KRF, said the decision wasn't "taken lightly" and the forum was aware of the impact of Operation Brock on residents.

Mr Jones said: "With the continuing limited ferry capacity at Dover, we need to retain the option to quickly step up the control of freight flow on cross-Channel routes and not risk leaving Kent exposed to possible significant disruption."

P&O Ferries resumed its cross-Channel operation at Dover earlier on Tuesday, but with a reduced service.

Operation Brock normally has the capacity for about 2,000 lorries, but held up to 4,000 at the height of the travel chaos during the Easter break.

The next review of the measures is set to take place on 10 May.

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