How does Operation Brock impact you?

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Consultation has concluded.

View of M20 during Operation Brock

Cllr David Burton, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council:

“The implementation of Operation Brock causes significant disruption to residents and businesses of Maidstone. We know that it is needed as part of the current plan to manage the volume of both freight and tourist traffic using the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel when queues build up. This can occur for a variety of reasons. The number of occasions when Op Brock is in place and the impact for our community, businesses and people travelling to and around the borough are unacceptable. This situation cannot be allowed to continue.

We need your help to build the case for change. So we want to hear from you about the impacts that you experience when Op Brock is in place – for your personal lives and working lives – so that we can build a picture of environmental, social and economic impacts.

Operation Brock is not a long term or permanent solution for the border control issues. We cannot tolerate this becoming the “new normal”.

So we also need to look at alterative solutions. We would also like to hear your views on this.

My personal view is that there needs to be sufficient off road lorry parking in the vicinity of the ports and this would help manage some occasions with high freight and tourist traffic queues. I know that others suggest a scheme to hold vehicles further up country and I will not rule this out although there would be operational challenges to how this would work and be enforced. Technology has enabled us to work productively throughout the pandemic in many walks of life – technology could also offers solutions to these challenges.

We want Maidstone to be a Borough that works for everyone, with residents and local businesses at the heart of our decision making and would really like to hear from you about how this disruption has impacted on your lives and ideas for alternative ways forward, so that I can take this evidence to Government to demand action to prevent this from going on forever."

How can you get involved?

1. Experiences - Share your experiences of Operation Brock. We want to know more how Operation Brock impacts on you, your life, your local area or your business. Tell us about your experiences (below). We encourage you to comment on the posts left by other residents whose experiences you may share.

2. Ideas - Tell us your ideas about what can be done to improve the effect Operation Brock has on you, your life, your local area or your business when it is in operation.

3. Impact - Take part in our quick poll (on the right) to tell us what level of impact Operation Brock has had on you.

4. Location - Use our map to show us where in the borough you've experienced issues due to Operation Brock.

What Next

We will be gathering this information up until 2 October 2022, this timeframe may be extended based on the response or to gather further information and feedback.

Cllr David Burton, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council:

“The implementation of Operation Brock causes significant disruption to residents and businesses of Maidstone. We know that it is needed as part of the current plan to manage the volume of both freight and tourist traffic using the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel when queues build up. This can occur for a variety of reasons. The number of occasions when Op Brock is in place and the impact for our community, businesses and people travelling to and around the borough are unacceptable. This situation cannot be allowed to continue.

We need your help to build the case for change. So we want to hear from you about the impacts that you experience when Op Brock is in place – for your personal lives and working lives – so that we can build a picture of environmental, social and economic impacts.

Operation Brock is not a long term or permanent solution for the border control issues. We cannot tolerate this becoming the “new normal”.

So we also need to look at alterative solutions. We would also like to hear your views on this.

My personal view is that there needs to be sufficient off road lorry parking in the vicinity of the ports and this would help manage some occasions with high freight and tourist traffic queues. I know that others suggest a scheme to hold vehicles further up country and I will not rule this out although there would be operational challenges to how this would work and be enforced. Technology has enabled us to work productively throughout the pandemic in many walks of life – technology could also offers solutions to these challenges.

We want Maidstone to be a Borough that works for everyone, with residents and local businesses at the heart of our decision making and would really like to hear from you about how this disruption has impacted on your lives and ideas for alternative ways forward, so that I can take this evidence to Government to demand action to prevent this from going on forever."

How can you get involved?

1. Experiences - Share your experiences of Operation Brock. We want to know more how Operation Brock impacts on you, your life, your local area or your business. Tell us about your experiences (below). We encourage you to comment on the posts left by other residents whose experiences you may share.

2. Ideas - Tell us your ideas about what can be done to improve the effect Operation Brock has on you, your life, your local area or your business when it is in operation.

3. Impact - Take part in our quick poll (on the right) to tell us what level of impact Operation Brock has had on you.

4. Location - Use our map to show us where in the borough you've experienced issues due to Operation Brock.

What Next

We will be gathering this information up until 2 October 2022, this timeframe may be extended based on the response or to gather further information and feedback.

Tell about your experiences of Operation Brock

We want to hear about your experiences of Operation Brock and understand the impact it has on your life. 

Share your story

Thank you for sharing your story with us.
CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.
  • Share Brock does not work on Facebook Share Brock does not work on Twitter Share Brock does not work on Linkedin Email Brock does not work link

    Brock does not work

    by scw73, about 2 years ago

    The bottom line is Operation Brock is not a solution to address the issues which arise through our ports in Dover and Folkestone. Harrietsham like the many others villages through which traffic is diverted has been impacted all summer. Me and my family on many occasions had to cancel our plans due to the volume of traffic on the A20 and local roads. It has been unsafe for our children to use the pavements to meet friends, walk to the shops or even attempt to cross the A20 to get to the bus stop to travel into town with the... Continue reading

  • Share Misery of Op Brock on Facebook Share Misery of Op Brock on Twitter Share Misery of Op Brock on Linkedin Email Misery of Op Brock link

    Misery of Op Brock

    by H, about 2 years ago

    I live beside the A20 in Harrietsham & experienced a miserable summer with a lack of sleep, increased pollution and being unable to venture out in my car on numerous occasions due to the volume of traffic and foreign lorries using the A20. As a result, the rds are in a terrible state and have become even noisier due to lorries driving over the bumps etc. When Op Brock is in place, it is not safe for my children to walk to meet friends or to the shop as the majority of motorists have little regard for the speed limit... Continue reading

  • Share BROCK from a retired person's view on Facebook Share BROCK from a retired person's view on Twitter Share BROCK from a retired person's view on Linkedin Email BROCK from a retired person's view link

    BROCK from a retired person's view

    by Pam lockwood, about 2 years ago
    Being retired and a resident in Harrietsham, whene Op Brock is in force it is horrendous when junc 8 off M20 has ALL LANES CLOSED...I collect my grand daughter from her school in Paddock Wood on Fridays taking her home on Sundays....to drive to her school fine,35minutes but seeing the other side of motorway completely blocked with traffic at a slow pace all the way back to junc 5 is demoralising as my return journey is obviously going to take hours....and after all traffic on way home finally leaves m20 and proceeds on A20 to sit in traffic hardly moving,bumper... Continue reading
  • Share Ruined summer on Facebook Share Ruined summer on Twitter Share Ruined summer on Linkedin Email Ruined summer link

    Ruined summer

    by Shel, about 2 years ago

    Spent most of this year travelling out of Kent during the long, hot summer because of the queues on the M20. What is the point of living in an area where we can enjoy the coast when we can't travel there? So much money lost from the Kent economy because of this stupid idea. Who in their right mind thinks it is ok to shut off motorway lanes to park lorries???? Absolutely bonkers! My heart goes out to the lorry drivers stuck there with no facilities - inhumane and we should be ashamed to treat hard-working hauliers like that. Goodness... Continue reading

  • Share Brock - a huge, expensive failure on Facebook Share Brock - a huge, expensive failure on Twitter Share Brock - a huge, expensive failure on Linkedin Email Brock - a huge, expensive failure link

    Brock - a huge, expensive failure

    by Catherine , over 2 years ago
    I live along the A20 in Hollingbourne with the M20 running behind my property. We had to endure months of inconvenience and overnight noise whilst Highways altered the hard shoulder, turning it into a running lane and to store the barrier. They moved the running traffic closer to our houses increasing the noise and vibrations. Then we have the noise of instating Brock then again when it is stood down. Traffic is diverted onto the A20 causing gridlock and making it impossible to access our properties. HGV’s jumping the queue also use the A20 adding further to the gridlock. The... Continue reading
  • Share Constant procession of vehicles on the A.20 outside my property on Facebook Share Constant procession of vehicles on the A.20 outside my property on Twitter Share Constant procession of vehicles on the A.20 outside my property on Linkedin Email Constant procession of vehicles on the A.20 outside my property link

    Constant procession of vehicles on the A.20 outside my property

    by Peter, over 2 years ago
    Living in a property next to the A20 when Operation Brock is in use or being set up is a Nightmare, the constant procession of traffic quite often in both directions makes it extremely difficult to get in and out of my driveway and you quite often have to wait for many minutes before anyone will stop to let you drive in or out. Crossing the road near my property is also very dangerous as no one wants to stop for you. Better control needs to be put in place prevent heavy commercial vehicles and others from using the A20... Continue reading
  • Share Unsustainable and Dangerous! on Facebook Share Unsustainable and Dangerous! on Twitter Share Unsustainable and Dangerous! on Linkedin Email Unsustainable and Dangerous! link

    Unsustainable and Dangerous!

    by LAJ, over 2 years ago
    The turn-off onto the A20 at Junction 8 of the M20 has been made confusing and dangerous. The A20 is awash with mostly foreign HGV vehicles trying to dodge the M20 carpark! This is causing damage to an already overused road which, no doubt, the local taxpayer will have to cough up funds to repair. There has been absolutely no communication between local authorities and the people in charge of Operation Brock. This is illustrated by the sheer madness of starting roadworks in Charing on the A20 cut- through. These roadworks started at the exact time when traffic was bound... Continue reading
  • Share Brock on Facebook Share Brock on Twitter Share Brock on Linkedin Email Brock link

    Brock

    by Robin, over 2 years ago
    Operation Brock has ruined our county. When Brock is in operation Maidstone and surrounding areas becomes no go on the roads.HGVs can be found trying to dodge the gridlock and are ruining our already poorly maintained roads. The area resembles an open air rubbish tip and a public lavatory. Why have the Government not explored developing for example Ramsgate or Sheerness or even further afield as ports and this would at least give Dover some relief.
  • Share Mr Adrian Marchant on Facebook Share Mr Adrian Marchant on Twitter Share Mr Adrian Marchant on Linkedin Email Mr Adrian Marchant link

    Mr Adrian Marchant

    by Adrian , over 2 years ago
    It is a complete farce & a huge inconvenience to all motorists trying to get to Ashford & coastal towns.

    Being a regular user of the M20 in that area I cannot see why so much of it has to be sectioned off for
    “Operation Calamity” when it could be dealt with closer to the ports on the last few miles of the motorway.



  • Share Lorries everywhere on Facebook Share Lorries everywhere on Twitter Share Lorries everywhere on Linkedin Email Lorries everywhere link

    Lorries everywhere

    by Lorraine, over 2 years ago
    Brock has altered the lives of all of us who live and work in kent

    i live in Maidstone but teach in Medway and as a school we know brock means we have to change our plans at short notice if there’s an accident on either motorway

    there is no country lane I don’t know now to avoid the m20 but it’s the lorries parked up anywhere that they fancy that is dangerous and unsightly , from bluebell hill to on vinters estate

    we were told excess lorries couldn’t come into the county but the first days of summer holidays... Continue reading