How does Operation Brock impact you?

Share How does Operation Brock impact you? on Facebook Share How does Operation Brock impact you? on Twitter Share How does Operation Brock impact you? on Linkedin Email How does Operation Brock impact you? link

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 Go East - forget it! on Facebook Share Go East - forget it! on Twitter Share Go East - forget it! on Linkedin Email Go East - forget it! link

    Go East - forget it!

    by AL1, over 2 years ago

    Basically I no longer ever bother going anywhere East of M20 J8. The traffic is just too slow and unpredictable and if you get caught up in at, that’s your day written off…

  • Share displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high on Facebook Share displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high on Twitter Share displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high on Linkedin Email displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high link

    displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high

    by Aliseb, over 2 years ago

    displaced or rerouting of traffic is making Headcorn impossible to cross roads and pollution is high. A20 is impossible to use for local journeys.

    Drivers becoming less tolerant of other people.

    lack of amenities for drivers stuck in Brock is appalling and unsafe in hot weather

    The whole thing is a disgrace and an embarrassment


  • Share Awful traveling on Facebook Share Awful traveling on Twitter Share Awful traveling on Linkedin Email Awful traveling link

    Awful traveling

    by Peter, over 2 years ago
    I find it quite farcical in this day and age that we cannot move freely round our county. Constant roadworks, blockages on the motorways. It is a mess. Since this government has been in power it has got steadily worse.

    Since we have left the European Union, we have been promised so much, but again been let down.


  • Share Impacts every day on Facebook Share Impacts every day on Twitter Share Impacts every day on Linkedin Email Impacts every day link

    Impacts every day

    by sparky, over 2 years ago
    All the while Brock is on it has a massive impact on our lives and it has been going on for...years. It means we can't use the M20 have to sit in traffic on A and B roads for much longer to get to work. This impacts the environment as so much traffic is diverted off the motorways on to roads that aren't built to cope with this volume and contributes too poor air quality - all in the 'garden of England'. We don't bother going out at weekends as we can't bear to do it all again so local... Continue reading
  • Share Dangerously thin lanes on Facebook Share Dangerously thin lanes on Twitter Share Dangerously thin lanes on Linkedin Email Dangerously thin lanes link

    Dangerously thin lanes

    by Andy, over 2 years ago
    The M20 has become dangerous especially on the London bound side. Lorries overtake you even though you are doing 50mph and they are so close to my car. I have seen a couple of instances where they have clipped cars. The lanes are not wide enough for lorries to travelling up and down. It is only going to be a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or even killed.

    Secondly the traffic around Maidstone has become horrendous due to operation Brock.
    There must be a better alternative than to stuff up a main arterial road.

  • Share Brock Experience on Facebook Share Brock Experience on Twitter Share Brock Experience on Linkedin Email Brock Experience link

    Brock Experience

    by S Neaves, over 2 years ago

    Operation Brock means that I am unable to plan timings for journeys either heading East on M20 but can have impact on the town centre as well.

    I have avoided going East on the M20 due to the disruption.




  • Share A right pain in the arse on Facebook Share A right pain in the arse on Twitter Share A right pain in the arse on Linkedin Email A right pain in the arse link

    A right pain in the arse

    by Icp44, over 2 years ago
    The UK Government and KCC are not fit to run a tap let alone Motorways and ports. Stop blaming the French and invest in the port of Dover and the M20 and M2. Local folk should NOT be subject to the chaos of this summer again.
  • Share Operation Broc on Facebook Share Operation Broc on Twitter Share Operation Broc on Linkedin Email Operation Broc link

    Operation Broc

    by Sasha Luck, over 2 years ago

    Operation Broc

    It increases the amount of traffic on th A20 including heavy lorries

    Cars are using the narrow lanes off the A20 to miss the jams

    The ulities carry on with road works etc, put road closures on the roads off the A20 which creats more traffic, there shoud be better thought to when the closures are put in

    EXAMPLE Leeds Road, Chegworth Road, Fairboune Lane, Hollingboune Greenway Court Road. All the narrow Lanes off the A20,


  • Share Chaos on Facebook Share Chaos on Twitter Share Chaos on Linkedin Email Chaos link

    Chaos

    by SH, over 2 years ago
    Carnage unable to get anywhere

    Causing traffic into local villages


  • Share Hythe and Folkestone - Goodbye! on Facebook Share Hythe and Folkestone - Goodbye! on Twitter Share Hythe and Folkestone - Goodbye! on Linkedin Email Hythe and Folkestone - Goodbye! link

    Hythe and Folkestone - Goodbye!

    by SEW, over 2 years ago
    Throughout the year and especially in the summer months I have been a very regular visitor to both Hythe and Folkestone, both places I love. This year Operation Brock has completely put me off even considering making the M20 journey to either place. I don't keep track of when Brock is in place or not I just will not venture down the M20 at all to be on the safe side. Of course this disappoints me no end, but it must be dreadful for the businesses of those and other affected towns if Brock is leading to their visitors/customers being... Continue reading