Revealed: More details on plans to scale back hated Operation Brock on M20 between junctions 8 and 9 for Maidstone and Ashford

More details have emerged about plans to scale back the hated Operation Brock system on the M20. The 50mph contraflow is deployed on the 13-mile stretch of motorway between Maidstone and Ashford to minimise disruption when high numbers are expected at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

Operation Brock is deployed on the 13-mile stretch of motorway between Maidstone and Ashford

Currently, it means traffic is unable to join the M20 coastbound at Junction 8 because the slip-road is closed. Drivers have to either use the A20 or drive back up the motorway to Junction 7.

Now, KentOnline can reveal National Highways is exploring options to keep the Junction 8 on-slip, near Leeds Castle, open in an effort to "reduce the footprint" of Brock. Although the move has been welcomed, Faversham and Mid Kent MP Helen Whately wants a complete end to the controversial 50mph contraflow system. Speaking to KentOnline, she said: "I've been calling for the government to do this 'Mini Brock' plan for months, and I'm glad they are taking a serious look at it.

"Operation Brock is a major headache for locals. Moving the start so vehicles can still get onto the coastbound M20 at Junction 8 should reduce its impact on local villages and roads.

Plans are in the pipeline to reduce the controversial contraflow system to keep the on slip road at Junction 8 open during Operation Brock

"Anything that reduces the traffic jams and keeps lorries out of villages and lanes is a step in the right direction." But the Conservative says it's "still wrong for the M20 to be used as a lorry park".

She says she is backing the Port of Dover to get funding to expand HGV queuing space at the docks and pushing the government to keep looking at technology solutions for lorries to queue outside Kent.

In January 2025, KentOnline revealed[1] the Department for Transport is working on a permanent solution to the problem of congestion at the Port of Dover, backing up traffic deep into Kent. The new system would use a combination of new digital technology and off-road sites to hold HGVs during disruption, but it is still in the early planning stages.

Helen Whately MP for Faversham and Mid Kent wants to see an end to the controversial 50mph contraflow system.

Sojan Joseph, MP for Ashford, welcomed plans to reduce Operation Brock

Ashford MP, Sojan Joseph, has also been working to find an alternative to Brock. "It has been of great importance to me to find a workable solution for my constituents, so I am very pleased the government is investigating a scaled-back version of the contraflow," the Labour politician said.

Ashford borough councillor Paul Bartlett says he is "delighted" the government is responding to concerns about the existing configuration of Brock. "It causes enormous difficulty accessing M20 coastbound at Junction 8 for local residents and during deployment, and when there are accidents within Brock, there is a considerable impact on the villages between Maidstone and Ashford along the A20," the Conservative said. Currently, Operation Brock creates a dedicated lane for HGVs to queue between Junctions 8 and Junction 9.

Operation Brock could be scaled back under new plans

Lorries heading to the Europe queue on the coastbound side, with the London-bound carriageway operating as a contraflow with narrow lanes and a 50mph limit.

The decision to use the traffic management measure is made collectively by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF), a partnership of agencies including Kent Police, Kent County Council and National Highways.

Brock was last implemented in the run-up to Christmas in a bid to improve traffic flow, as data from the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel showed a high volume of passengers expected. Previously, KentOnline reported[2] how the Brock contraflow costs taxpayers about ?250,000 every time it is used, while maintaining and servicing it adds up to a further ?100,000 per week. Speculation arose that Brock could be moved, with implementation instead between Junction 10a, South Ashford, and Junction 11, Hythe.

But National Highways says this has not been discussed.

On the future of Operation Brock, a spokesperson for the Department for Transport added: "We recognise the impact Operation Brock has on residents, which is why we continue to work closely with the KMRF to improve safety, reduce local disruption and develop longer-term traffic management solutions."

References

1. ^ KentOnline revealed (premium.kentonline.co.uk)
2. ^ KentOnline reported (premium.kentonline.co.uk)