Chaos hit the M20 this morning as a lorry broke down between Junction 9 (Ashford) and Junction 8 (Hollingbourne), triggering massive delays on the motorway’s London-bound lanes.
Major Delays and Long Queues
Traffic came to a grinding halt around 9am with drivers stuck in queues stretching up to four miles. National Highways warned commuters to brace for hold-ups of more than 45 minutes as recovery efforts get underway.
Recovery Teams Rush to Scene
Recovery vehicles are now en route, and emergency services have been alerted to assist. The breakdown couldn’t have come at a worse time, hitting the first day of Operation Brock, newly implemented last night to manage post-Brexit freight on the M20.
What is Operation Brock?
- Traffic restrictions in place between Junctions 9 and 8 (London-bound) and between Junctions 7 and 9 (coast-bound)
- Built to ease freight flow amid increased demand at Port of Dover and the Eurotunnel
- Involves a 13-mile stretch of lane closures and contraflow systems
The fresh restrictions aim to prevent gridlock as data predicts a surge in cross-channel traffic over the coming weeks.
