POLICE OPERATION M20 Brought to Standstill in Kent During Late-Night Police Operation

Traffic on the M20 was brought to a temporary standstill late on Monday night after police halted vehicles in both directions during an incident near Ashford.

The motorway was stopped shortly after 11.30pm on Monday 20 July between Junction 9 (Ashford) and Junction 10 (Willesborough).

National Highways described the incident as a “Kent Police-led incident”, although the exact nature of the operation has not been disclosed.

Motorway closed in both directions

Traffic was held in both directions for around 15 minutes, with motorists unable to move while emergency services dealt with the incident.

The closure resulted in queues of approximately one mile and delays of around 10 minutes for drivers approaching the affected section.

National Highways said:

Traffic is currently stopped in both directions on the M20 in Kent between J9 Ashford and J10 Willesborough due to a Kent Police-led incident.

Road reopened

A short time later, National Highways confirmed the motorway had fully reopened.

In an update posted shortly after midnight, the agency said:

“Traffic has now been released in both directions on the M20 in Kent between J9 Ashford and J10 Willesborough. No significant delays on the approach.”

Traffic has since returned to normal.

Key route

The M20 is one of the country’s busiest strategic routes, linking the M25 with Folkestone, the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel, carrying both domestic and international traffic.

Kent Police has not yet confirmed the reason for the operation.

UKNIP has approached the force for further information. The article will be updated when more details become available.