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<p>Recent increase in traffic queues for freight and passenger travel in Kent was
caused by a combination of factors. Disruption began because of adverse weather conditions
causing delays to sailings from Port of Dover and the situation was significantly
exacerbated by the well-documented actions of P&O Ferries which account for over
35% of the market share of Dover. Coupled with the brief cessation of Eurotunnel services
due to a breakdown and an increase in passenger and freight traffic, disruption quickly
grew in Kent.</p><p> </p><p>The Kent Resilience Forum’s (KRF’s) traffic management
and enforcement plans, including activation of Operation Brock on the M20, were put
in place in late March to ensure continued flow of vehicles through Kent to ports
whilst also trying to maintain local mobility as much as possible. Additional resilience
measures were put in place, which had a positive impact on maintaining throughput
to the ports and keeping local roads moving.</p><p> </p><p>Over the May half-term
and Jubilee Weekend, there was no significant disruption on the Kent strategic road
network. Operation Brock has now been deactivated as of 5 June, but the Kent Resilience
Forum (KRF) will reconsider deploying it ahead of the start of the school summer holidays.</p><p>
</p><p>To further ease congestion in Dover, we are strengthening enforcement against
those hauliers deviating from Operation Brock and causing gridlock on local roads,
and greater usage of freight parking capacity at Sevington Inland Border Facility
and Ashford Truck Stop when Operation Brock is reaching its capacity. These measures
will help to keep the M20 open to all vehicles and enable local and passenger traffic
to keep flowing throughout Kent.</p><p> </p>
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