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 Unsatisfactory solution which causes chaos. on Facebook Share Unsatisfactory solution which causes chaos. on Twitter Share Unsatisfactory solution which causes chaos. on Linkedin Email Unsatisfactory solution which causes chaos. link

    Unsatisfactory solution which causes chaos.

    by steve, almost 2 years ago
    Operation Brock is a nightmare solution for all concerned. Travelling through Kent becomes unbearable with journey times extended and gridlock on local road with people looking for rat-runs to avoid the worst of the traffic. Lorry drivers are stuck without access to food and facilities which would make the delays they experience more acceptable. The so-called Kent resilience forum is a joke, lacking answers and solutions to the problems that arise. The county has a ready-made solution at Manston where lorries can be given a scheduled slot and toilet and showering facilities can be made available.

    In the event that... Continue reading

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

    Inconvenience

    by Peter Crisp, almost 2 years ago
    I travel from Maidstone to Ashford three days a week plus return.

    When operation Brock is in place all traffic is diverted onto the A20. So to ensure I get to Ashford in about 1 hr I travel via B and minor roads. Very slow and inconvenient to me and those who live on the minor roads..
    I also avoid the M20 on return as one collision blocks the road for hours. I have options returning via the A20.
    min addition there are road works on the A20 further slowing the traffic and journey time. KCC are responsible for Opening... Continue reading

  • Share Traffic nightmare! on Facebook Share Traffic nightmare! on Twitter Share Traffic nightmare! on Linkedin Email Traffic nightmare! link

    Traffic nightmare!

    by Lou Carpenter, almost 2 years ago
    Travelling east-west in the county is always an issue for those of us in the middle of Kent. Having the M20 delivered over to Brock has made life unbearable. First, there was all the disruption caused by preparing for Brock, then there's the ongoing problems of when it's activated. Both travelling to and returning from Folkestone a couple of weeks ago were severely impacted: coastbound we had to go through the B Road network, london bound, we had lane restrictions, limiting speed and were travelling in nose to tail traffic. What is the point of the M20 if it is... Continue reading
  • Share Gridlock Kent on Facebook Share Gridlock Kent on Twitter Share Gridlock Kent on Linkedin Email Gridlock Kent link

    Gridlock Kent

    by KB , almost 2 years ago
    Although I understand the need to manage traffic during busy times I struggle to understand how shutting the M20 is the solution. Why take Brock down to put it back a few weeks later, what a waste of money, are the planners feathering their own nests? The impact on my life is not acceptable, living in the M20 area is a travel nightmare, short journeys can take hours and cause so much car pollution to the environment.
  • Share Kent has become a lorry car park on Facebook Share Kent has become a lorry car park on Twitter Share Kent has become a lorry car park on Linkedin Email Kent has become a lorry car park link

    Kent has become a lorry car park

    by Lyn Fuller, almost 2 years ago

    Living in a rural area near the M20 and operation brock had become a travelling nightmare. Trying to drive to the next village which normally takes a couple of minutes can now be one impossible due to the amount of cars now travelling along the back roads trying to circumnavigate the holds up on the A20, because the M20 is used as a lorry car par. Why on earth are lorries allowed to enter kent if their exit out is blocked! Kent seems to be getting the ‘bum deal’ on pretty much everything lately. Gone has the title ‘garden of... Continue reading

  • Share Chaos for local people on Facebook Share Chaos for local people on Twitter Share Chaos for local people on Linkedin Email Chaos for local people link

    Chaos for local people

    by AG, almost 2 years ago
    I have to drive my daughter to and back from Bearsted to Folkestone where she works as a primary teacher (she cannot drive due to a medical condition). I have been caught in huge traffic jams and the journey has been longer as a result of Brock. This has been a huge inconvenience. It seems the national government are not interested in the people of Kent as they know they have rock solid safe seats here! Also aware of foreign HGV's not following the rules and going down M20 between 8 and 9 and the A20. On numerous occasions I... Continue reading
  • Share Local economy hit hard on Facebook Share Local economy hit hard on Twitter Share Local economy hit hard on Linkedin Email Local economy hit hard link

    Local economy hit hard

    by ColinM, almost 2 years ago
    At its worst, when the M20 is queueing Brock causes drivers to seek alternative routes through unsuitable narrow lanes, often in larger vehicles. Living in such a road we often encounter drivers who are unused to these, in a hurry because they've been delayed and often lost. Our own road has no passing places other than our driveways which are being damaged because of this, as are the verges.

    When we visit Faversham, the problems at Brenley corner caused by HGVs being stopped and turned round result in the town coming to a standstill.

    The net result is that we... Continue reading

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

    Harrietsham

    by Harrietsham Resident, almost 2 years ago

    I live on the Ashford Road in Harrietsham. When Operation Brock is in place, more traffic flows down the A20 Ashford Road than normal - especially lorries who I assume are trying to "jump the queue". This is made worse when the coast bound carriageway of the M20 is closed altogether.

    Because of the increased traffic flow, it takes long to leave my property, whether going east or west, and much longer to travel east towards Lenham, Charing and Ashford.

    Please would MBC push for a designated lorry park, with full facilities, rather than using the M20 as such.