Kent Access Permits scrapped

Traffic management measures were introduced in the county amid fears that the withdrawal from the EU could lead to disruption for lorries and freight.
Traffic on the M20
PA Wire
Neil Lancefield20 April 2021

A permit required by lorry drivers entering Kent after the end of the Brexit transition period has been scrapped.

The Department for Transport also announced that a moveable barrier installed on the M20 will be dismantled over the weekend.

The traffic management measures were introduced in Kent amid fears that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union could lead to disruption for cross-Channel trade.

The DfT said the measures are being stood down “thanks to hauliers arriving at the border prepared”, and as freight volumes between the UK and the EU “continue to operate at normal levels”.

It cited Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showing exports to the EU increased by £3.7 billion – or 46.6% – in February.

But that followed a record slump of £5.7 billion in January.

Kent Access Permits have been mandatory for EU-bound heavy goods vehicles entering Kent since January 1, following the end of the transition period.

The DfT said the scheme was “instrumental in avoiding delays at the border” by ensuring drivers had the correct documents before reaching Dover.

Compliance among non-British hauliers has been above 80% since mid-January.

Its removal will mean “less paperwork for hauliers”, the department added.

The moveable barrier was installed between Junctions 8 and 9 on the M20 for the Operation Brock contraflow system.

We will continue to monitor traffic levels closely over the weeks and months to come

Nikki Faulconbridge

This means port-bound lorries can be held on the motorway, while other traffic continues to flow in both directions.

The barrier will be stored on the hard shoulder in case it is required in the future.

Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Faulconbridge of Kent Police, who chairs the Kent Resilience Forum, said: “With freight volumes back to normal, customs rules better understood and Covid-19 testing sites now well-established across the UK, the time is right for the Operation Brock contraflow to be removed.”

She added: “We will continue to monitor traffic levels closely over the weeks and months to come, including during an expected increase when tourists are once again allowed to access Kent’s ports, to ensure any emerging issues are suitably addressed.”

Kent County Council’s senior highways manager Toby Howe said: “Operation Brock was a key part of our traffic management plan to keep Kent moving in the weeks immediately after the end of the EU transition period. It worked well and got the job done.”

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in