No fines have been handed out to lorry drivers bypassing Operation Brock - despite warnings they would be hit with £300 penalties.

Instead of joining the queues at the M20, rogue HGVs have been heading down the M2 and A2 in an effort to reach Dover.

But their evasive action resulted in - and continues to cause - severe congestion around the Brenley Corner junction at Faversham, which is being used as a stopping point by police.

The junction, which is already notorious for its delays, has been reduced to one lane to allow lorries to queue up.

Officers are then sending the HGVs back up the M2 to join the start of Brock at Junction 8 of the M20.

But again, lorry drivers are bypassing the long route up to Maidstone and are opting to travel down the twisting A251 from Faversham to Ashford, where they can join the M20 at Junction 9 or 10a.

Highways agencies have been warning hauliers they face the threat of an on-the-spot £300 fine if they attempt to bypass Brock.

But police say issuing the penalties will take too long.

"The Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) priority over the weekend was reducing disruption and police assisted by enforcing the contraflow system," a spokesman said.

"Enforcement action was taken against any driver failing to comply with the contraflow by ensuring they were diverted onto the correct route to minimise disruption to other road users.

"Issuing fines for breaching these requirements would have significantly increased the delays road users were experiencing.

"Officers will continue to support the KRF where appropriate, and this can include the issuing of £300 on-the-spot penalties."

Motorists going about their daily routines have faced long delays at Brenley Corner due to the introduction of Brock.

There have been long tailbacks on the M2 between Junction 5 for Sittingbourne and junctions 6 for Faversham and 7 for Brenley Corner.

Congestion has also impacted the A2 in Faversham, heading towards the roundabout, and the London-bound A2 from Canterbury.

The coast-bound M20 between Junction 8 for Maidstone and Junction 9 for Ashford has again been closed to non-freight traffic this afternoon.

At the weekend, KCC's senior highways manager said Brock "had proved its worth" despite being labelled "shambolic" by Kent road-users.