Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
I'll be driving to Maidstone (coming from Dartford) on Wednesday 18th (mid-morning) this shouldn't effect me should it....I'll be leaving the M20 at junction 5.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
Seems to be rolled out at least three times a year, although this time only pre Christmas, according to Toby Howell, thank god! Apparently there is an expected surge in HGV drivers returning home. As I mentioned before the Ferry companies and Eurotunnel need to sort this mess out, not going to be KCC, or National highways, or HMG is it? Quite why the financial cost of this is down to the taxpayer is a scandal. In the meantime the British motorist is the victim of this nonsense.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
I'll be driving to Maidstone (coming from Dartford) on Wednesday 18th (mid-morning) this shouldn't effect me should it....I'll be leaving the M20 at junction 5.
No, when in place Brock affects junction 8 to 9. There are roadworks around J5 with a 50 mph average speed check.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
Seems to be rolled out at least three times a year, although this time only pre Christmas, according to Toby Howell, thank god! Apparently there is an expected surge in HGV drivers returning home. As I mentioned before the Ferry companies and Eurotunnel need to sort this mess out, not going to be KCC, or National highways, or HMG is it? Quite why the financial cost of this is down to the taxpayer is a scandal. In the meantime the British motorist is the victim of this nonsense.
Last week I had a meeting with Toby Howe, Helen Whately MP and 2 of our local Councillors. There is an agreement in place for Brock to be used until 2027 and it will continue to be deployed when the ports indicate that cross channel traffic is going to be higher than normal.
One good piece of news is that they are considering a 'mini Brock' where they will only use part of the section from junctions 8 to 9. That would be better as it would reduce the section with the reduced speed limit.
All agreed that lorry parks are the answer, but given that funds are tight and nobody wants a lorry park near where they live that seems a long way off.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
I'll be driving to Maidstone (coming from Dartford) on Wednesday 18th (mid-morning) this shouldn't effect me should it....I'll be leaving the M20 at junction 5.
No, when in place Brock affects junction 8 to 9. There are roadworks around J5 with a 50 mph average speed check.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
Seems to be rolled out at least three times a year, although this time only pre Christmas, according to Toby Howell, thank god! Apparently there is an expected surge in HGV drivers returning home. As I mentioned before the Ferry companies and Eurotunnel need to sort this mess out, not going to be KCC, or National highways, or HMG is it? Quite why the financial cost of this is down to the taxpayer is a scandal. In the meantime the British motorist is the victim of this nonsense.
Last week I had a meeting with Toby Howe, Helen Whately MP and 2 of our local Councillors. There is an agreement in place for Brock to be used until 2027 and it will continue to be deployed when the ports indicate that cross channel traffic is going to be higher than normal.
One good piece of news is that they are considering a 'mini Brock' where they will only use part of the section from junctions 8 to 9. That would be better as it would reduce the section with the reduced speed limit.
All agreed that lorry parks are the answer, but given that funds are tight and nobody wants a lorry park near where they live that seems a long way off.
Thanks for the update , I remember before you mentioned you would be meeting up with Howell, Not sure Whately's fellow MP's are keen on the roll out, if the comments in the local paper are anything to go by?.(The decision to deploy Brock has been criticised by Ashford’s MP due to the inconvenience it causes his constituents. Sofan Joseph says he hoped port bosses could cope with Christmas traffic without having to resort to “emergency measures” according to the local paper.) and the Folkestone and Hythe MP is non too happy as well, at least that is what he told me, when he came to an exhibition I am part of in central Folkestone, perhaps they should discuss the matter at that level, then perhaps they might get some traction, and finance, the planning laws may well be more flexible in the near future, although I agree who wants a lorry park next to there house. One of the main reasons I am trying to move back to be honest, I cannot see an end in sight I am sorry to say.
Or we just go back to the EU, ask them to let us back in, explain it was all a horrible mistake, apologise, pay them lots of money and never speak of it again.
I thought they built a lorry park off J11 (Hythe) just as you get on the road to Canterbury.
There is a Truck Stop there I believe, but it's not enough to store HGVs when needed. There is the border inspection facility near J 10a at Ashford, which is used to check food and plant/flower imports.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
Seems to be rolled out at least three times a year, although this time only pre Christmas, according to Toby Howell, thank god! Apparently there is an expected surge in HGV drivers returning home. As I mentioned before the Ferry companies and Eurotunnel need to sort this mess out, not going to be KCC, or National highways, or HMG is it? Quite why the financial cost of this is down to the taxpayer is a scandal. In the meantime the British motorist is the victim of this nonsense.
Last week I had a meeting with Toby Howe, Helen Whately MP and 2 of our local Councillors. There is an agreement in place for Brock to be used until 2027 and it will continue to be deployed when the ports indicate that cross channel traffic is going to be higher than normal.
One good piece of news is that they are considering a 'mini Brock' where they will only use part of the section from junctions 8 to 9. That would be better as it would reduce the section with the reduced speed limit.
All agreed that lorry parks are the answer, but given that funds are tight and nobody wants a lorry park near where they live that seems a long way off.
Thanks for the update , I remember before you mentioned you would be meeting up with Howell, Not sure Whately's fellow MP's are keen on the roll out, if the comments in the local paper are anything to go by?.(The decision to deploy Brock has been criticised by Ashford’s MP due to the inconvenience it causes his constituents. Sofan Joseph says he hoped port bosses could cope with Christmas traffic without having to resort to “emergency measures” according to the local paper.) and the Folkestone and Hythe MP is non too happy as well, at least that is what he told me, when he came to an exhibition I am part of in central Folkestone, perhaps they should discuss the matter at that level, then perhaps they might get some traction, and finance, the planning laws may well be more flexible in the near future, although I agree who wants a lorry park next to there house. One of the main reasons I am trying to move back to be honest, I cannot see an end in sight I am sorry to say.
HW did say that all the old Kent Tory MPs had been trying to get an alternative to Brock, but hadn't been successful. She said she wasn't sure of the position of the new MPs.
It is frustrating that so many people are affected by Brock, but the objections to a lorry park by a very few people srmtopped it being built.
Anyone venturing further afield then look out. The M25 between M11 and the A12 has been shut since lunchtime
Just got home via the M25 but fortunately clockwise by this, will be surprised if there were no fatalities from this, one car was destroyed front and back.
Operation Brock is being put in place on the M20 tonight, it is expected to be in place until 22nd December.
Tonight the M20 will be closed between junctions 7 & 9 coastbound, and between junctions 9 & 8 westbound. The closures are from 8pm this evening to 6am tomorrow.
Seems to be rolled out at least three times a year, although this time only pre Christmas, according to Toby Howell, thank god! Apparently there is an expected surge in HGV drivers returning home. As I mentioned before the Ferry companies and Eurotunnel need to sort this mess out, not going to be KCC, or National highways, or HMG is it? Quite why the financial cost of this is down to the taxpayer is a scandal. In the meantime the British motorist is the victim of this nonsense.
Last week I had a meeting with Toby Howe, Helen Whately MP and 2 of our local Councillors. There is an agreement in place for Brock to be used until 2027 and it will continue to be deployed when the ports indicate that cross channel traffic is going to be higher than normal.
One good piece of news is that they are considering a 'mini Brock' where they will only use part of the section from junctions 8 to 9. That would be better as it would reduce the section with the reduced speed limit.
All agreed that lorry parks are the answer, but given that funds are tight and nobody wants a lorry park near where they live that seems a long way off.
Thanks for the update , I remember before you mentioned you would be meeting up with Howell, Not sure Whately's fellow MP's are keen on the roll out, if the comments in the local paper are anything to go by?.(The decision to deploy Brock has been criticised by Ashford’s MP due to the inconvenience it causes his constituents. Sofan Joseph says he hoped port bosses could cope with Christmas traffic without having to resort to “emergency measures” according to the local paper.) and the Folkestone and Hythe MP is non too happy as well, at least that is what he told me, when he came to an exhibition I am part of in central Folkestone, perhaps they should discuss the matter at that level, then perhaps they might get some traction, and finance, the planning laws may well be more flexible in the near future, although I agree who wants a lorry park next to there house. One of the main reasons I am trying to move back to be honest, I cannot see an end in sight I am sorry to say.
HW did say that all the old Kent Tory MPs had been trying to get an alternative to Brock, but hadn't been successful. She said she wasn't sure of the position of the new MPs.
It is frustrating that so many people are affected by Brock, but the objections to a lorry park by a very few people srmtopped it being built.
Tony Vaughan is the MP for Folkestone and Hythe, ...Labour , Sojan Joseph is the MP for Ashford and Hawking, Mp For Dover and Deal Mike Tapp again labour, so the Damian Greens and Damian Collins were kicked out, as well as Natalie Elphick, so the4 current MP's most affected by this do not have an input, as it happens the Chair of Folkestone and Hythe, which is a large area, came to my exhibition, and I cannot see him supporting the Operation Brock fiasco!. of course Dover has to be free to have have a free flowing port, but lets admit it the infrastructure in these parts come to a standstill , when the A2 has issues...Only been to one home game of an evening in 7 years since moving down here as I have mobility issues, just too stressful for me, and that's besides the football!
Anyone venturing further afield then look out. The M25 between M11 and the A12 has been shut since lunchtime
Just got home via the M25 but fortunately clockwise by this, will be surprised if there were no fatalities from this, one car was destroyed front and back.
Without knowing the circumstances this is dreadful. But i find that driving on the A2/M25 and in that area some of the worst i see on a regular basis when visiting from leafy Hampshire. Too fast and too close and no courtesy to other drivers is the norm. I am surprised there isn't more accidents.
Anyone venturing further afield then look out. The M25 between M11 and the A12 has been shut since lunchtime
Just got home via the M25 but fortunately clockwise by this, will be surprised if there were no fatalities from this, one car was destroyed front and back.
Anyone venturing further afield then look out. The M25 between M11 and the A12 has been shut since lunchtime
Just got home via the M25 but fortunately clockwise by this, will be surprised if there were no fatalities from this, one car was destroyed front and back.
Without knowing the circumstances this is dreadful. But i find that driving on the A2/M25 and in that area some of the worst i see on a regular basis when visiting from leafy Hampshire. Too fast and too close and no courtesy to other drivers is the norm. I am surprised there isn't more accidents.
16 December 2024
A 68-year-old man has died in a three-vehicle crash on the M25.
Essex Police was called to the anti-clockwise carriageway of the motorway between junction 27, near Epping, and junction 28, near Brentwood, at about 11:00 GMT today.
This Lower
Thames Crossing project can't be done in isolation, it needs money to be spent
on other roads in the area, which will feed into the new tunnel.
Most HGVs use
the M20 when bringing in goods from Europe and the A229 Bluebell Hill will not
be able to cope with the extra traffic wishing to use the Lower Thames
Crossing.
The junction
of Bluebell Hill with the M20 coastbound is a mess most days. It was a very
poorly thought out junction from the very beginning. Traffic from both
junctions 5 & 6 have to merge onto a single carriageway distributor road.
That traffic then has to join the M20 at a point that traffic wishing to leave
at junction 7 also has to merge. Traffic from 3 junctions all moving to other
lanes at this pinch point is extremely dangerous.
The roundabout
system at the top of Bluebell Hill is also another pinch point that causes a
huge amount of congestion every day. I remember attending the consultation when
the M2/A229/M20 'improvements' were proposed in the 90s, where I suggested that
a new junction be built on the M2 between junctions 3 & 4, but this was
discounted by the road planners. It would have reduced the amount of traffic
coming off the M2 at junction 3.
Whilst I don’t
dispute that another Thames crossing is needed, the project will need to be a
lot more than just building the tunnel under the Thames and that will be even
more devastating for wildlife sites and the loss of ancient woodland, that
cannot be replaced. Bluebell Hill itself has an important roadside nature reserve.
National
Highways did have a consultation on improvements to the M20, A229, M20 links earlier
this year, the results will be known later.
I'm sure I saw they've already started the consultation for bluebell hill upgrades, the primary one being a slips from the top of bluebell hill directly onto the eastbound M2
I'm sure I saw they've already started the consultation for bluebell hill upgrades, the primary one being a slips from the top of bluebell hill directly onto the eastbound M2
Avoid the A28 round Canterbury. There are three-way lights at the junction with the A252 to the south of the city; queue was around two miles long heading south.
There are also more on the northeast side Sturry Mill Road. I was heading north; got onto the ring road, at which point the traffic was at a standstill for two or three miles. I was on a motorcycle, so was gradually able to filter past the queues, but anyone in a car would be stuck for hours.
Had a mare on Sunday. Drive up from Broadstairs to Bexley for Father’s Day took 3 hrs. Traffic jams between Medway & Gravesend
The south east is so over populated and there are too many idiotic drivers in that area.
Currently holidaying in Anglesey. No Pot holes, hardly a car about and drove the 20 odd miles of the A55 yesterday without some idiot tail gating, and cutting across my path to get off at the next junction...
Comments
One good piece of news is that they are considering a 'mini Brock' where they will only use part of the section from junctions 8 to 9. That would be better as it would reduce the section with the reduced speed limit.
All agreed that lorry parks are the answer, but given that funds are tight and nobody wants a lorry park near where they live that seems a long way off.
One of the main reasons I am trying to move back to be honest, I cannot see an end in sight I am sorry to say.
The M25 between M11 and the A12 has been shut since lunchtime
It is frustrating that so many people are affected by Brock, but the objections to a lorry park by a very few people srmtopped it being built.
The area is grossly over populated.
A 68-year-old man has died in a three-vehicle crash on the M25.
Essex Police was called to the anti-clockwise carriageway of the motorway between junction 27, near Epping, and junction 28, near Brentwood, at about 11:00 GMT today.
Two other people were taken to hospital.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8x3jnx5m6o
A project to build the UK's largest road tunnel has been granted £590m by the government.
Constructing the Lower Thames Crossing, linking Tilbury in Essex and Gravesend in Kent, will cost an estimated £10bn.
Plans for the 14.5-mile (23km) route were approved in March after a 16-year process that has already cost £1.2bn.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mrm84wg4ko
This Lower Thames Crossing project can't be done in isolation, it needs money to be spent on other roads in the area, which will feed into the new tunnel.
Most HGVs use the M20 when bringing in goods from Europe and the A229 Bluebell Hill will not be able to cope with the extra traffic wishing to use the Lower Thames Crossing.
The junction of Bluebell Hill with the M20 coastbound is a mess most days. It was a very poorly thought out junction from the very beginning. Traffic from both junctions 5 & 6 have to merge onto a single carriageway distributor road. That traffic then has to join the M20 at a point that traffic wishing to leave at junction 7 also has to merge. Traffic from 3 junctions all moving to other lanes at this pinch point is extremely dangerous.
The roundabout system at the top of Bluebell Hill is also another pinch point that causes a huge amount of congestion every day. I remember attending the consultation when the M2/A229/M20 'improvements' were proposed in the 90s, where I suggested that a new junction be built on the M2 between junctions 3 & 4, but this was discounted by the road planners. It would have reduced the amount of traffic coming off the M2 at junction 3.
Whilst I don’t dispute that another Thames crossing is needed, the project will need to be a lot more than just building the tunnel under the Thames and that will be even more devastating for wildlife sites and the loss of ancient woodland, that cannot be replaced. Bluebell Hill itself has an important roadside nature reserve.
National Highways did have a consultation on improvements to the M20, A229, M20 links earlier this year, the results will be known later.
https://letstalk.kent.gov.uk/a229bluebellhill
There are also more on the northeast side Sturry Mill Road. I was heading north; got onto the ring road, at which point the traffic was at a standstill for two or three miles. I was on a motorcycle, so was gradually able to filter past the queues, but anyone in a car would be stuck for hours.
Currently holidaying in Anglesey. No Pot holes, hardly a car about and drove the 20 odd miles of the A55 yesterday without some idiot tail gating, and cutting across my path to get off at the next junction...
Heaven.