Drivers have laid into a contraflow system on a major UK motorway as “horrendous” traffic means they “don’t leave the house”. Operation Brock, which consists of a barrier system creating a dedicated lane for HGVs, is rolled out intermittently by the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) on the M20 between Junctions 8 and 9 during periods when higher volumes of traffic heading to Europe through Kent are anticipated, such as the Easter weekend. Officials say it acts as a “pressure valve to minimise the impact of congestion further down the motorway”, and “reduces the risk of having to close the Roundhill Tunnel near Folkestone, which can cause disruption on local roads and impact local communities”.

But the Express has been told that the measure turns the motorway into the "slowest" in the country, effectively "turning it into a car park", and leads to large vehicles cutting through narrow single track roads. This reportedly impacts nearby Maidstone, the villages of Newington and Etchinghill and places like Capel and the Alkham Valley in the Kent Downs. The government says that it is working on a solution involving digital technology and off-road sites, but this will take time.

“Anyone living around Maidstone and Ashford absolutely hates it,” Tim Lindrup, 63, a semi-retired part-time coach driver who lives in the village of Aldington south of Ashford, told the Express.

He added: “Brock gets implemented overnight to close the southbound carriageway. So then on the northbound carriageway they cram four lanes of two way live traffic, only separated by a plastic barrier. The speed limit is reduced to 50mph on both sides.

"You of course lose the hard shoulder on the northbound lane and there is no hard shoulder heading south. So this is where the problems start. The foreign lorries don't adhere to the 50mph speed limit because they won't get fined, and drive up there closer to 60mph.

“They thunder past us car drivers, who are limited to the speed limit for obvious reasons. There are speed cameras all the way along this stretch.”

He added: “They could be stopped and fined by traffic police, but I have never seen a traffic policeman in Brock monitoring speeding lorries.

“Of course people can break down at any time, or have a road traffic accident. That's when the problems start again.

"How does a rescue vehicle get to the front of a 15-mile queue when there are only two lanes available? I actually cannot imagine myself breaking down in Operation Brock, it would be absolutely terrifying.

“I have been a professional driver for many years and was in the Royal Corps of Transport back in the 1970s and 80s. I am a very experienced driver and even I get anxious when I have to go up or come down the M20 when Brock is in place, wondering if I will be held up because of a breakdown or accident.”

On the most recent implementation of Brock over Easter, he “did not see lorries stacked once in the three weeks”.

He called the KMRF a “faceless” organisation, adding: “As soon as it's announced Brock is being implemented just in case the French cause delays at Dover, my heart sinks and I think, like most, ‘They must be kidding?’

"Who are these people who have no idea of the upheaval and danger they are putting Kent people in?"

Another driver said: “If the word 'holiday' is mentioned, the police, National Highways and the KMRF panic and put Operation Brock in place, normally overnight with a few days warning, if we are lucky.

"There are then two lanes each way. Armco and concrete barriers contain the traffic, which has nowhere to go, should an incident occur.

“In the last deployment, over five days, there were four incidents, causing no end of queues normally three miles or more.

"With a 50mph limit and condensed traffic, it's asking for problems, adding 15 minutes plus to each journey."

Another resident, who did not want to be named, called the operation a “money pit”, adding: “The issues of traffic are actually worse when it’s on and it’s not the roads that are the issues it’s the ports at Folkestone and Dover not having enough French staff on their border controls and that’s what causes the knock on effect.

“A lot of us locals have just accepted that on the first day of any half term or school holiday we don’t leave the house because the traffic is horrendous!”

Motoring campaigner Howard Cox, founder of FairFuel UK, said: “Initially introduced as a contingency for potential no-deal Brexit disruptions across Kent’s roads, this controversial traffic management system causes costly traffic disturbances and delays.

“The contraflows, speed limits and narrow lanes slow travel massively, turning the M20 into what thousands of FairFuelUK supporting drivers call the slowest-moving motorway in the UK.

“Full overnight closures for the scheme’s setup and removal further disrupt journeys, with confusing diversions, if drivers rely heavily on sat-navs instead of official signs.

“When Brock is active, congestion spills onto surrounding roads, compounding the disruption and local anger. I regard it as a waste of money, an overengineered sticking plaster solution that disrupts more than it helps.

“Under extreme pressure, its benefits are minimal, with even the National Highways Agency admitting disruptions are unavoidable.”

The area’s Conservative MP, Helen Whately, told the Express: “Operation Brock gets activated far too often. It can’t be the answer whenever we have higher volumes of traffic. When it’s activated – often during school holidays – it turns the motorway into a lorry park and puts huge pressure across the road network. Local businesses suffer and families are stuck at home for fear of being caught in jams.

“I recently did a Facebook poll where over 700 people told me Operation Brock impacts them 'significantly' or 'quite a lot'. After being activated for the Easter holidays, it’s likely it’ll be back for the summer holidays too. The prospect of queues on the motorways and lorries taking to the lanes just when the sun comes out is infuriating."

She added: “I’ve repeatedly called on the Kent Resilience Forum to use it only in emergencies and urged the Roads Minister to develop a national solution. In the meantime, I’m pushing for a ‘Mini Brock’ – starting it further down the M20 so it doesn’t cause so much distribution for my constituents.

“Kent deserves a long-term plan that doesn’t gridlock our roads.”

In a letter to Ms Whately seen by the Express, Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for the Future of Roads, wrote the the government is "continuing to explore potential long-term alternatives to Operation Brock that will reduce the need to queue HGVs on the road network in Kent."

She added: "I have reviewed the previous policy proposals put forward, and have agreed for work to progress on a system that utilises a combination of new digital technology and off-road sites to hold HGVs during disruption.

"Between November 21 and December 4, the Department conducted a pre-tender market engagement exercise with potential suppliers to inform next steps in developing this technology.

"A subsequent Supplier Day is planned for January 13, and we will continue to collaborate closely with Kent stakeholders as this work progresses."

Although, Ms Greenwood pointed out that a solution such as this "will be a long-term project that takes time".

A Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) spokesperson told the Express: “We understand that putting the Brock barrier out can be frustrating for motorists and residents.

“The decision to use this traffic management option is made collectively by the KMRF, a partnership of agencies including Kent Police, Kent County Council and National Highways.

“The decision to deploy Op Brock is always driven by a forecast of how busy the ports are expected to be, and the data showed increased cross-channel bookings for tourist traffic before and over Easter.

“Our job is to work together to ensure we do everything we can to reduce delays on the way to the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, and to keep local communities free from serious traffic disruption.

“Until central government finds another solution to managing Europe-bound traffic through the county, Op Brock is the only tool available to us.”