The Labour Government has pointed fingers at Brexit-related fallout for the worsening traffic chaos on the M20 motorway, now being labelled the UK’s ‘slowest’. With Operation Brock reintroduced to manage freight movement to and from the EU, the contraflow system between junctions 8 and 9 has reignited public frustration, especially among residents in Kent. Officials claim the system is necessary to prevent gridlock when cross-channel freight traffic surges—but critics say it’s become a symbol of post-Brexit inefficiency.
Transport officials argue the extra border checks and customs processes brought on by Brexit have added new pressure on key transport routes. The M20, a major artery for trade and travel between the UK and mainland Europe, has seen repeated implementation of Operation Brock, a traffic management scheme designed for lorry congestion. Labour leaders have criticized what they call the Conservative Party’s “poor planning” for post-Brexit logistics, claiming it’s left Britain ill-prepared for the new realities of international trade.
Local residents and businesses have not held back in voicing their anger. Villagers living near the motorway describe daily disruption, lengthy detours, and economic losses. Some residents have called the scheme “a nightmare,” with one local even writing to their MP, arguing that Operation Brock was launched without adequate justification—just “on the off chance” there might be congestion at the Port of Dover.
Labour ministers are calling for a full review of freight traffic management and infrastructure investment along the M20 corridor. They claim that temporary fixes like Operation Brock are simply band-aid solutions, and the country needs a long-term strategy that reflects the new challenges of a post-Brexit Britain. “We can’t keep turning Kent into a lorry park every holiday weekend,” one minister said.
Meanwhile, Conservative officials have defended the traffic system, saying it helps maintain flow during peak periods of EU-bound freight. But as delays mount and local fury grows, the debate over Brexit’s impact on everyday UK infrastructure is once again front and centre—and the M20 has become its most visible casualty.
