Drivers are already facing three miles of speed restrictions and narrow lanes on the M20 after work began on the return of Operation Brock.

Highways England has started shutting the London-bound stretch between Junction 9 for Ashford and Junction 8 for Leeds Castle at night.

VIDEO: 50mph limit and two narrow lanes on part of M20 between J9 and J8

It brought in the first closure on Tuesday and drivers using the motorway during the day are now having to put up with just two lanes and a 50mph limit on part of the stretch.

The London-bound route is closed between 9pm and 6am at nighttime as contractors work to install a new system to tackle queues leading to the Port of Dover when the Brexit transition period ends in December.

Today, drivers joining the M20 at Junction 9 face three miles of restrictions before they are able to travel at 70mph and use all three lanes again.

The restrictions are in place because Highways England will be using a new barrier made of concrete blocks to create the Operation Brock contraflow later this year.

But before the system becomes operational when the Brexit transition period ends, the moveable concrete blocks need to be stored on the hard shoulder.

To safely get them in place on the hard shoulder, a separate steel barrier to protect workers is being temporarily installed between now and November.

The temporary steel barrier will act as a blockade to protect workers while they place the building blocks of the other barrier in a holding area.

When the London-bound carriageway is closed at night, Highways England says these clearly signed diversion routes will be in place.

The alternative routes are:

• Junction 9 to 8 London-bound diversion: Traffic will be diverted from Junction 9 via the A20 to rejoin the M20 at Junction 8.
• Vehicles over 4.7m high need to follow a different route, which is to turn around at Junction 9 to rejoin the M20 towards Dover, then the A20, the A2, then the M2. Drivers should then leave the M2 for the A249, to rejoin the M20 at Junction 7 and head back towards Junction 8.

For more information, call 0300 123 5000 or contact the M20 project team via email on M20MoveableBarrier@highwaysengland.co.uk

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