Drivers are being warned to expect severe congestion on the roads today and tomorrow, with the AA issuing its first-ever amber traffic warning.

Dover and Folkestone are due to bear the brunt of the congestion, which is set to peak between 11am and 3pm on both days.

The prediction comes following a week of misery on the east Kent network leading up to the port and Eurotunnel.

Tomorrow will also mark another day of rail strikes, cancelling almost all services in the county.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “With holiday let switchover day starting on Friday mixed with train strikes and a huge weekend of sport, we are concerned that drivers will experience delays across the network, with the south of England particularly vulnerable.

“All eyes will be on Dover and Folkestone, but we believe changes have been made throughout the week and we will keep our fingers crossed for a smoother trip across the Channel.

“Breakdowns can make jams worse and last weekend we saw a rise in breakdowns where vehicle checks had not been carried out before setting off.

“Spending 10 minutes checking tyres and fluid levels before setting off can make a big difference in helping people getting to their destination.”

Tens of thousands of families saw the start of their cross-Channel journeys ruined last weekend as the roads approaching Dover were gridlocked, leading to delays of several hours.

This was blamed on a shortage of French border officers and a serious crash on the M20.

The troubles have continued this week but the operation has been smoother this morning, with P&O Ferries saying there are “no queues at border controls and traffic is free-flowing through the port”.

Port of Dover chief executive Doug Bannister said on Thursday that French border controls will be “fully resourced”, which will make a “fundamental difference”.

'All eyes will be on Dover and Folkestone...'

Yesterday, the port was expecting to welcome about 140,000 passengers, 45,000 cars and 18,000 freight vehicles between Thursday and Sunday.

A statement from National Highways reads: “Drivers travelling in and around Kent are advised to plan ahead as this weekend is likely to be extremely busy.

“Operation Brock contraflow remains in place on the M20 and is part of a series of measures to improve Kent’s resilience and ensure the smooth flow of traffic through the region in the event of disruption to services across the English Channel.”

Traffic data also shows that long delays are expected today, Saturday and Sunday on the M25 between Bromley and the Dartford Crossing.