Overnight closure of the M20 between Ashford and Maidstone

Drivers are advised the M20 will be closed between Maidstone and Ashford overnight on Wednesday 21 May from 8pm to allow the Operation Brock contraflow to be deployed at the request of the Kent & Medway Resilience Forum .

The contraflow system is being deployed on a 13-mile section of the M20 between junctions 8 Maidstone and 9 Ashford, ahead of the May bank holiday weekend, due to expected high passenger numbers at the Kent ports.

Operation Brock 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.

To safely deploy the contraflow, the M20 will be closed – London bound from junction 9 to 8 and coastbound junction 7 to 9 – overnight from 8pm on Wednesday 21 May to 6am on Thursday 22 May 2025.

Fully signed diversion routes will be in place while the M20 is closed overnight. These times have been chosen to minimise disruption to road users and ensure the roads are suitable for the traffic.

Drivers are advised to follow the diversion signs over their SatNav instructions.

When the M20 reopens, the Brock contraflow will be active and all signs should be followed. Once the barrier is in place, all HGVs heading for the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel must follow the signs to join Operation Brock at M20 junction 8.

All other coast bound traffic – including local freight and car drivers heading for the continent – should follow the signs and crossover to enter the contraflow on the M20 London bound carriageway.