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Dover traffic today: Latest updates on travel disruption after weekend delays, and if the M20 motorway is open

Three days of delays for cross-channel crossings have eased, but significant disruption could resume on friday as more holidaymakers head to france.

Ferry passengers heading for Dover were being told to arrive in plenty of time on Monday as queues began to form.

A critical incident that was declared on Friday remains in force on Monday, however, following three days of disruption at the Channel ports of Dover and Folkestone.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at The AA, told i : “Today it is back to business as usual, with minimal queuing on the approach roads to the check-in desks at both Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

“We expect this to continue until Friday where we are concerned, we might see a repeat of the congestion experienced this weekend. This opinion is also shared by the Kent Resilience Forum who declared the ‘critical incident’.”

Families were stuck in hours-long queues for Dover on Friday as the summer holidays began for most schools in England with disruption continuing into the weekend.

Demand was at its greatest for the crossing since the end of the Brexit transition period and the implementation of new border checks, which includes the need to stamp UK passports for travel to the EU .

However, the UK Government has denied post-Brexit border rules had played “a significant role in the disruption”.

Friday’s backlog was caused by a serious crash on the M20 motorway and a staffing shortage among French border control .

The Eurotunnel service saw delays on Friday following the crash at around 11am, which blocked the motorway for three hours and delayed check-in for drivers who were heading to the tunnel.

Just six out of 12 booths for passport checks were open at Dover on Friday with reports that French border officials had not turned up to work in sufficient numbers.

Has the M20 reopened?

Yes, the M20 reopened on Monday morning after the motorway was shut from Junction 8 to Junction 11 for much of the weekend.

A 24-mile portion of the M20 was transformed into a lorry park for some 3,000 HGVs on Friday.

Traffic management procedures remain in place under Operation Brock, a scheme that has been used on-and-off this year and that was designed to keep cross-Channel traffic flowing following Brexit.

The motorway remains closed to non-freight traffic between junctions eight and nine as part of Operation Brock.

What is Operation Brock?

Operation Brock is the name for the contraflow system that is put into force in the event of cross-Channel disruption at the Port of Dover or the Eurotunnel.

It is designed to keep traffic moving on the M20 and other roads in Kent.

The plan was announced in November 2017 and work on reworking road markings began around October 2019 and was scheduled to be ready ahead of the UK’s exit from the EU in January 2020.

Operation Brock was first deployed in December 2020 and has been used on-and-off since then, including for more than a month this year when P&O Ferries made 800 staff redundant, and all the firm’s crossings were suspended.

More from Travel

Are ferry passengers still facing queues?

Ferry operator DFDS told passengers that there were “queues of around an hour” for French border checks on Monday morning, and to “allow a minimum of 120 minutes before your departure to complete all controls”.

P&O Ferries wrote on Twitter : “The queues have picked up and it is taking approximately one hour to clear passport control.”

Queues of port traffic began to form at Dover.

However, the Port of Dover announced, “normal traffic flows at Dover” on Twitter and wrote that “All traffic contained in the port with local roads operating normally.

“French border well staffed. Minimal dwell time to get through port and onto the ferries”.

Are there delays for the Eurotunnel?

The Eurotunnel website was showing delayed service at its Folkestone terminal on Monday with a “waiting time due to high demand”.

The processing time from check-in to boarding at lunchtime on Monday was around 90 minutes.

Service was running normally at the Calais Terminal, according to Eurotunnel’s tracker, with border controls taking approximately 30 minutes.

John Keefe, director of public affairs for Getlink, which operates the Eurotunnel between Folkestone and Calais, told BBC News that the issue over the weekend had been caused by the expected “very heavy traffic of passengers” heading off on holiday alongside an unexpected amount of lorry traffic, which would normally make the crossing to France earlier in the day but had been delayed by the accident on the motorway.

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Hundreds of passengers on Sunday faced their third day of travel disruption at the Port of Dover, as ministers insisted that the delays crossing the Channel were not linked to the UK’s departure from the European Union.

The port, which declared a critical incident on Friday, has blamed the disruption ahead of the Easter weekend on “a mix of lengthy immigration processes at the border and sheer volume of traffic” as well as adverse weather.

Over the weekend, some ferry operators such as P&O Ferries launched overnight sailings to help clear a backlog that saw some passengers waiting for as long as 14 hours.

Britain’s busiest port has been beset by periodic hold-ups since travel opened up after Covid with the new Brexit rules in place, notably last summer when there was an Anglo-French dispute over the handling of passengers. But speaking to Sky News, home secretary Suella Braverman rejected suggestions that the delays were influenced by the UK’s departure from the EU.

“No, I don’t think that’s fair that has been an adverse effect of Brexit,” she told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme. “What I would say is at acute times when there is a lot of pressure crossing the Channel, whether that’s on the tunnel or ferries, then I think that there’s always going to be a back-up and I just urge everybody to be a bit patient while the ferry companies work their way through the backlog.”

The delays at the channel follow warnings from Eurostar chief executive Gwendoline Cazenave that the service has been forced to run trains more than a third empty during some peak periods as a result of lengthier processing with post-Brexit border arrangements.

The home secretary also pushed back against the notion that the delays would continue to be a regular occurrence during the school holidays. “I don’t think this is the state of affairs to go forward,” she said, speaking on the BBC. “I think we have got a particular combination of factors that have occurred at this point in time. This will ease.”

A spokesperson for the Port of Dover said that more than 300 coaches had departed on Saturday, “with all of the freight backlog cleared and tourist cars processed successfully”, but noted that there remained some “coaches still waiting to be processed”.

They added: “Minimal freight is expected today and so the focus remains on ensuring all partners work to get the remaining coaches and other tourist traffic on its way as soon as possible.”

Ferry operator P&O Ferries warned on Sunday afternoon that passengers would still have to wait for at least four hours.

Shadow levelling-up secretary Lisa Nandy argued that the government had “known for a very long time” that it needed to ensure adequate resources were in place to deal with “additional paperwork checks” post- Brexit .

“The point is not whether we left the European Union or not. The point was that we left with a government that made big promises and once again didn’t deliver,” she told Sky News. “And I really feel for the families that are trying to get away for an Easter break, people who have been caught up in this chaos, people whose livelihoods are threatened.”

The government has said that it remains in regular contact with “ferry operators, the French authorities, and the Kent Resilience Forum” — the county’s emergency planning group. A spokesperson added: “We recommend passengers check the latest advice from their operators before travelling.” 

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Dover queues – live: Roads ‘extremely busy’ as passengers urged to bring supplies

High volume of traffic builds at port entrance, article bookmarked.

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Huge queues of holidaymakers are waiting on “extremely busy roads” close to the Port of Dover amid warnings of 90-minute delays.

Cars could be seen snaking from the Kent port to the nearby town after 11am on Good Friday, with lorries thought to be stretching back further.

P&O Ferries and operator DFDS were reporting delays of between 60 and 90 minutes to the port’s entrance while Irish Ferries advised people to allow up to three hours before their travel time.

Drivers have been advised to bring supplies in case they are left waiting for hours, with queues expected to lengthen in the early afternoon.

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s going to be a busy day, we’re running probably about an hour to an hour and a half to get through border controls at the moment, and we will peak through probably early afternoon, and then it will start to slow down after that.”

• Port of Dover boss promises smoother weekend for travellers heading to France
• Simon Calder issues advice on UK passports, flight strikes and delays
• Drivers warned of Easter traffic jams with up to 17 million getaway trips planned

Huge queue of cars stretching back from Dover port

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “First of all, the weather’s clear, the ferries are sailing well, and all that sort of stuff, this weekend was always scheduled to be about 30% lighter than last weekend, today being the busier day.

“What we did is we worked with our ferry operators to try and spread the demand across the three days rather than all on this day.

“I know that that’s challenging for the coach industry because they have itineraries that they want to maintain, but they’ve worked with the ferry operators to be able to do that, and that’s been successful.

“We’ve also installed a new facility to expand our processing at the borders for coaches, that’s operational, I just saw one goes through in just shy of 10 minutes.

“It’s going to be a busy day, we’re running probably about an hour to an hour and a half to get through border controls at the moment, and we will peak through probably early afternoon, and then it will start to slow down after that.”

...to our liveblog where we will keep you updated on the latest on Dover travel.

Queues of around 90 minutes at Dover ahead of Easter weekend

Holidaymakers booked on cross-Channel ferries from the Port of Dover are facing delays at the start of the Easter getaway.

There are queues of “approximately 90 minutes” for passport checks by French officials at the Kent port, ferry operator DFDS wrote on Twitter.

The company told passengers: “Unfortunately due to high volumes of traffic there are queues at border controls.

“Once you arrive at check-in we will get you away as quick as we can.”

In response, one passenger wrote: “We have been standing for 50 minutes. No movement whatsoever.”

There are fears travellers at Dover will face more disruption after chaotic scenes last weekend when thousands of people were delayed, reportedly by up to 14 hours.

Delays at the port have been blamed on French border officials carrying out extra checks and stamping UK passports following Brexit.

Port officials said they held a “urgent review” with ferry operators and the French authorities in an attempt to avoid a repeat of last weekend’s delays.

Ferry companies are asking coach operators booked on sailings on Good Friday - expected to be the busiest day for outbound Easter travel from Dover - to “spread the travel” across the three-day period from Thursday to Saturday.

Additional “temporary border control infrastructure” has also been installed.

Transport minister Richard Holden described last weekend’s conditions at Dover as “unacceptable”.

He told Sky News: “I don’t want to see kids on coaches or families in cars queueing up and waiting unnecessarily long periods of time.”

Asked who should apologise for the situation, he added: “The port have made it clear that there is a difficult situation there, but there were some weather-related issues in the Channel as well, and there are going to be pinch points at peak times of the year, and small things can knock those best-laid plans off as well.”

In pictures: Traffic queues at Port of Dover as Easter getaways begin

As Easter weekend gets underway, the RAC is predicting that up to 17 million leisure trips by car will take place between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Dover port chief contradicts Brexiteer MPs who blamed France for coach delays

The boss of the Port of Dover has contradicted claims by senior Tory MPs that French frontier officials were responsible for border hold-ups at the start of the Easter school holidays.

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the UK’s main departure point for continental Europe, said the Police aux Frontieres had been “very, very good” at responding to the build-up of traffic last weekend.

Tens of thousands of travellers queued for 12 hours or more ahead of ferry journeys to France as a post-Covid surge of coach trips came up against tougher post-Brexit border checks.

After the backlog was cleared in the early hours of Monday morning, Tim Loughton – a former chair of the home affairs select committee – blamed short staffing among French border officials.

Out travel correspondent Simon Calder reports:

Exclusive: ‘When they knew we were having challenges, they actually turned up with more people to better support us’

How deluded must you be to believe Dover wasn’t about Brexit (now even No10 admits it)

The more the likes of Suella Braverman try to gaslight us to believe otherwise, the more insult is added to economic injury, Sean O’Grady writes.

In a crowded field, there is no other figure in public life who lives in a bubble of their own making to the same extent as Suella Braverman . Quite apart from the abject folly and failures of her Rwanda policy, her statements around grooming gangs and her economically illiterate attitude to migration, we find she is also suffering from the Brexit Delusion. No surprise, there.

According to the home secretary, who never seems quite on top of her brief, the massive queues at Dover are nothing at all to do with Brexit:

“No, I don’t think that’s fair to say that this has been an adverse effect of Brexit. We’ve had many years now since leaving the European Union and there’s been, on the whole, very good operations and processes at the border.”

How deluded must you be to believe Dover queues were not about Brexit? | Sean O’Grady

The more the likes of Suella Braverman try to gaslight us to believe otherwise, the more insult is added to economic injury

Travel disruption rips through France as queues build at Dover port

As well as delays at the Port of Dover, a general strike in France in a row over pension reforms is causing further travel disruption.

Many flights to, from and over France have been grounded due to air traffic controllers joining the walkout.

British Airways axed at least 20 flights which would have used French airspace on Thursday.

Eurostar cancelled a train in both directions between London and Paris.

Meanwhile, drivers have been warned to expect long delays on popular routes over the coming days.

The RAC is predicting that up to 17 million leisure trips by car will take place between Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Major roads in south-west England and some in the Home Counties are likely to experience the worst congestion on Good Friday.

Queues are likely to be increased by engineering work on the railways, including the closure of London Euston station over the bank holiday weekend.

Coach firms ‘treated unfairly’ during Dover disruption

Coach operators have claimed their vehicles were “treated unfairly” after thousands of passengers were stranded at the Port of Dover for up to 24 hours over the weekend.

Trade association the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) called for “crisis talks” with the Government, the Kent port and ferry companies to “resolve this mess once and for all”.

Many holidaymakers travelling by coach during the weekend – the start of the Easter holiday period for many schools – were delayed entering the port and being processed.

The queues had cleared by Monday morning but there are fears the congestion could return during other peak periods due to French border officials carrying out extra checks and stamping UK passports following Brexit .

Many holidaymakers travelling by coach during the weekend were delayed entering the Kent port and being processed.

More chaos for Easter holidaymakers as French protests block traffic

Easter holidaymakers bound for Europe are already mired in stifling travel delays after French protesters launched another day of industrial action.

France is the latest popular European destination to be hit by walkouts, with strike action in the UK, Portugal and Spain threatening to inflame rampant delays and cancellations.

Travel chaos has broken out on both sides of the channel, as French protestors blocked traffic around a mile from Paris Charles de Gaulle airport early on Thursday morning, forcing travellers to walk.

British Airways grounded around 20 flights that would have used French airspace as nationwide air traffic control strikes erupted across France.

Meanwhile, long queues have already formed for ferries at the port of Dover, with operator DFDS tweeting that the wait for passport checks by French officials is “up to 90 minutes”.

Holidaymakers face more travel chaos as queues build up at Dover ahead of Easter weekend

Millions of Britons are facing travel chaos this weekend with flights grounded, trains cancelled and traffic already building up at Dover as the Easter weekend getaway begins .

The four days between Good Friday to Easter Monday are expected to be the busiest since 2019, with post-Brexit passport checks, rail works and strikes in France all set to cause delays for travellers.

On Thursday morning, holidaymakers booked on cross-Channel ferries from Dover were already facing queues of 90 minutes for passport checks by French officials due to a “high volume” of traffic.

Read travel correspondent Simon Calder ’s latest report here:

More travel chaos as queues build up at Dover ahead of Easter weekend

Wait for passport checks hits 90 minutes as national strike in France grounds flights

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Christmas getaway travel disruption likely to continue through weekend

Weather warnings issued for drivers and London’s King’s Cross and Paddington stations will be closed

Christmas getaway travel disruption is expected to continue throughout the weekend, with millions of car journeys under way and major London railway stations due to close on Sunday.

The AA estimated that 16.4m car journeys will take place on Saturday and warned of “lengthy jams”.

Rail disruption is likely on Christmas Eve as two of London’s railway stations, King’s Cross and Paddington, will be shut due to engineering works.

The closure of London Paddington will continue until Wednesday, meaning no mainline trains will serve Heathrow Airport.

Travellers crossing the Channel at the Port of Dover faced waiting times of 90 minutes at border control on Saturday morning, but the queues have since cleared.

An unscheduled strike by French Eurotunnel workers in a row over bonuses on Thursday led to the cancellation of about 30 Eurostar trains – leaving tens of thousands of travellers scrambling to replan their journeys.

P&O Ferries apologised for the delays, telling customers : “There are currently large queues at border control. Please allow additional time for your journey. Rest assured, if you miss your crossing, we’ll get you on ASAP.”

On the rail network, disruption continued after the chaos caused by Storm Pia on Thursday. The Elizabeth line on the underground had severe delays on Friday afternoon between London Paddington, Reading and Heathrow airport stations after two trains broke down.

Network Rail said disruption was expected between Mansfield and Worksop until the end of the day, as well as between Birmingham New Street and Lichfield Trent Valley, caused by damage to the overhead electric wires in the Aston area of Birmingham.

The Met Office said there could be more weather-related travel issues in parts of the UK this weekend. Winds of up to 70mph were expected to hit much of Scotland, as well as northern and central areas of England on Sunday, before a rainy Christmas Day. Yellow wind warnings had been issued for those regions, advising people to expect travel disruption and damage to buildings and power cuts.

A yellow warning for rain covered much of Wales on Sunday, with forecasters warning flooding and travel disruption was possible. Showers may fall across the rest of the country.

Meteorologist Liam Eslick said: “People should make sure to leave more time, especially in exposed areas, it could affect rail networks and ferries.

“People travelling on roads should take care and stay away from high-sided vehicles, and for people who are at home and are going for walks, stay away from coasts.”

Network Rail said severe weather was likely to affect some ScotRail routes on Saturday.

A very damp start in the north during Saturday morning, with snow in the far northeast of Scotland 🌨️ Elsewhere, largely dry with some upslope rain and drizzle in the west ☁️ Another windy start and feeling mild away from northeast Scotland 🌬️ pic.twitter.com/sUfvbGAQI3 — Met Office (@metoffice) December 22, 2023

Rod Dennis, an RAC spokesperson, said: “With this latest weather warning affecting a large area of Scotland and parts of northern England, there is the chance travellers’ last-minute getaway trips could be disrupted.”

Eurostar, which operates passenger services to and from London St Pancras, is operating two extra services a day between London and Paris up to and including Christmas Eve to help people whose trains were cancelled on Thursday.

Eurotunnel is running its usual timetable but is only accepting customers who have pre-booked.

Network Rail advised travellers to check timetables before they embarked on their journeys as “some train services will be affected while we work to improve the railway”.

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• Road transport
• Ferry travel

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Folkestone is now 'hotspot of holiday hell' after backlog at port cleared

The UK and French governments disagree on the cause of the problem - the UK says there were not enough French border officers on duty and the French say Brexit means passport checks take longer.

Monday 25 July 2022 03:08, UK

Folkestone has replaced Dover as Britain's 'hotspot of holiday hell' after port staff managed to clear a backlog of 200 miles of traffic from the weekend.

Border and ferry staff worked "through the night" to clear "huge volumes of tourist and freight traffic", so that services at Dover were finally able to "get back to normal by the early hours of Sunday morning", a port spokesperson said.

Port officials say they have processed 72,000 vehicles so far this weekend, with the time needed to get through the border and onto ferries reduced from what it was on Friday and Saturday.

But a critical incident is still in place across Kent, alongside Operation Brock, with the AA claiming the worst congestion is now around the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.

Highways England is warning of "severe delays", while drivers are reporting average speeds of just 5mph in some places.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the AA, said: "Dover has now recovered, but Folkestone has become the hotspot of holiday hell.

"Drivers are now trying to find alternative routes down to the Eurotunnel terminal at J11a on the M20. Holidaymakers are trying to use the M2 and then find ways to 'drop down' into the A20 and the terminal via the back roads.

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"Drivers heading to Folkestone need to be prepared."

John Keefe, the director of public affairs at Eurotunnel, insisted that they are running a "normal service", but they are aware of "significant difficulties on the roads".

"It's difficult to answer why they're there," he told Sky News.

"Once people get through to our check-in, they are moving through as they normally would."

He said more staff have been laid on from the French side as that has been "quieter" but passport checks are accounted for in normal processing times.

Update on #Folkestone #eurotunnel Good luck to anyone going through there. Have been stuck in traffic in Folkestone for 12 hours now and we only just gone past the border control and are still waiting in queue for the train. And if you have any pets the wait was roughly 2 hours pic.twitter.com/xG13Lg3H6c — Jo (@dagaa_102) July 24, 2022

@LeShuttle At what times are trains leaving from Folkestone please? We are in stationary traffic on A20, 1 mile from you. (We have moved 5 yards for 40mins). — Rob Green (@thegreenster) July 24, 2022

We left London at 9.30pm for a 7am crossing. We just checked in about 20 minutes ago but are not at passport control yet. We are cautiously hoping that we *might* make it onto our scheduled train #eurotunnel — Sam Creighton (@sam_creighton) July 24, 2022

14-hour queues for Eurotunnel

Many trying to reach the Eurotunnel have reported setting off in the middle of the night in a bid to catch their trains. One passenger claimed they had to queue for 14 hours.

Stuart and Janet Harrison, who are travelling to their holiday home in Austria, said they weren't hopeful of making their train because of the queues.

Due to part closure of M20, it may take you longer than normal to reach our UK terminal. Please check traffic updates and pack sufficient food and water for your journey. If you turn up late for your departure, we’ll get you on the next available service. https://t.co/OirFC3YsJq — Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (@LeShuttle) July 24, 2022

"We originally considered flying and it's so expensive so we thought we'd drive," they told Sky News.

Another couple, Lucy and Nick, said they didn't bother arriving early, as queuing all day was inevitable anyway.

"We didn't come early. They're going to put us on today, so I don't think coming early makes any difference," Lucy said.

Asked who was to blame, she added: "This has happened because of Brexit hasn't it. We are very anti-Brexit. But we have to put up with it."

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Sky News correspondent Sabah Choudhry, who is in Dover, confirmed that the queues around the port now appear to be much shorter.

"Passengers this morning have been told that their wait time is looking to be around two to three hours - so certainly some welcome news for parents with children," she said.

P&O Ferries tweeted this morning saying there are "currently no queues in or around the port", but still advised leaving two hours before check-in, with port officials also urging people to check with ferry companies before travel.

Both border points say they are seeing fewer travellers today then Friday and Saturday.

The Eurotunnel is set for 7,000 cars - down on the 8,500 on Saturday, while at Dover 6,500 vehicles are expected, down significantly on the 10,000 the previous day.

UK claims lack of resources while French blame Brexit

The long delays have been blamed on slow border checks, Brexit, huge numbers of travellers setting out at the start of the school summer holidays, as well as the usual flow of goods lorries.

The UK government have blamed a shortage of French border staff, and the French government is arguing passport checks are taking longer now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union.

Natalie Chapman from haulier group Logistics UK said some lorry drivers have waited "in excess of 18 hours" to cross the Channel over the weekend.

The RAC Foundation called on the government to invest in more lorry parking to help ease problems.

They said ministers must "grasp the nettle" to come up with a sustainable solution to gridlocks in Kent as opposed to offering a "sticking plaster" as they have in recent days,

Miles-long tailbacks seen this week are "stark evidence of how fragile our continental links across the Channel can be" the transport policy and research organisation added.

Residents in Kent are also affected, unable to travel by car as they would normally due to the congestion.

Read more: Bumper-to-bumper traffic in Dover as UK and France argue over who is to blame for disruption Nine tips to reduce how much fuel you use London Southend Airport offers to host flights being cancelled by bigger, struggling airports

French regional prefect Georges-François Leclerc was asked by BFM TV if French customs officers were to blame for the delays seen on Friday and Saturday.

He said they were not, adding: "The Port of Dover, which is a private port, found it easier to blame the French police."

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who is competing to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister, said: "This is a situation that has been caused by a lack of resource at the border.

"That is what the French authorities need to address and that is what I'm being very clear with them about."

Anneliese Dodds, Labour Party chair, said the government had failed "to get a grip" on the problem, labelling it "chaos".

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Travel Disruption Advice

Dfds dover-france customer advice – travelling when operation stack is in place.

DFDS check-in controls open 2 hours prior to the departure and close no later than 45 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. During busy periods we highly recommend all customers to allow 90 minutes to complete the check-in process on arrival at port. Customers are required to have your passports ready for inspection at Border and check-in controls on approach to the terminal.

Operation stack is a procedure that uses parts of the M20 to queue up to 3,000 heavy goods vehicles (HGV's) travelling towards the continent, to avoid gridlock on Kent's roads. It is implemented whenever there is an urgent need to inhibit the flow of freight traffic to the Port of Dover or Channel Tunnel due to capacity restraints.

• Stage 1: Coastbound junctions 8 to 9
• Stage 2: Coastbound junctions 8 to 11
• Stage 3: London bound junctions 9 and 8
• Stage 4: London bound junctions 11 and 8

The routes for tourist traffic will be:

• Dover-bound tourist traffic will be encouraged to use the M2 / A2.
• If already on the M20 Dover-bound tourist traffic may be diverted off at junction 7, Maidstone, and via the A249, M2, and A2 to Dover.
• Channel Tunnel-bound tourist traffic will use the M20 and A20 following the hollow circle diversion symbol.

Road users affected by Operation Stack are advised to plan ahead and check traffic conditions and advice from travel operators* before setting out; to leave plenty of time for journeys and while on the road to listen to travel news bulletins for latest information. Travellers are urged to particularly look out for local signs and electronic message boards that will guide them to their destinations.

Highways England continues to work hard with partners including Kent County Council and local councils on medium to long term solutions to the disruption.

Source of the Operation Stack Route maps - Highways England Press notice.

Areas of possible congestion at Dover

• Jubilee Way Dover, is a flyover to the approach of the Port of Dover, this is the second main route to the port from the M2/A2, customers will arrive at the main roundabout to the entrance of the port of Dover – Kent Police are here managing the traffic in to the port from the M20/A20 and M2/A2 route.
• Townwall Street Dover, this is the main route into Dover from the M20/A20 this then leads customers to the main roundabout at the entrance of the port of Dover – Kent Police are here managing the traffic in to the port from the M20/A20 and M2/A2 route.
• UKBF/French PAF Passport controls, a number of queues form due to passport checks, sadly DFDS has no control over this and this is one of the reasons we are recommending a 90 minute check-in.
• Security Controls, Port of Dover security have an obligation to check a percentage of customers travelling through the port for safety and security reasons and this is why queues are formed in this area.
• DFDS check-in controls, queues are formed due to the high volumes of traffic travelling with us over this busy holiday period.

Areas of possible congestion at Dunkirk

• Security Controls, Port of Dunkirk security have an obligation to check a percentage of customers travelling through the port for safety and security reasons and this is why queues are formed in this area.

Areas of possible congestion at Calais

• Security Controls, Port of Calais security have an obligation to check a percentage of customers travelling through the port for safety and security reasons and this is why queues are formed in this area.

Please be assured our port staff are doing their upmost to ensure a quick and efficient check-in whilst trying to keep the delays to our services to a minimum. All check-in booths are open and we highly recommend to allow 90 minutes to complete passport & check-in controls.

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Championing the Seas!  

We're elated to announce that DFDS has once again retained its title as Europe’s Leading Ferry Operator at the 2024 World Travel Awards.

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Live Kent updates as flood warnings issued and travel disruption remains after Storm Ciarán

Flood warnings have been issued after Storm Ciarán hit Kent with wind speeds higher than 70mph amid weather warnings

• Updated 09:59, 3 NOV 2023

Travel disruption remains in parts of Kent on Friday (November 3) after Storm Ciarán hit the county on Thursday (November 2). Train services are returning to normal with all lines open, according to operator Southeastern. But flood warnings and alerts have been issued with flooding either "expected" or "possible".

Part of the M20 has been shut due to Operation Brock and Dover tap has been put in place on the A20. P&O and DFDS have said ferry departures are planned on time.

Storm Ciarán made landfall in England yesterday with Kent and the English Channel feeling the full force of winds higher than 70mph. The Met Office had warned of "a danger to life" due to flying debris caused by the strong gusts with yellow and amber warnings in place across the county.

Flooding and fallen trees caused road closures and trains and ferries were cancelled, which has led to a build-up of freight and travellers trying to cross the Channel. Meanwhile, people were told they should work from home if possible.

Kent was also told it could see "roofs blown from" buildings and "power lines brought down", leading to power cuts and mobile phone coverage being lost. Difficult driving conditions were reported on roads and those in vulnerable vehicles – including HGVs, motorbikes and anyone towing trailers – were urged to take extra care by National Highways.

Follow our continued live Storm Ciarán blog below, for the latest weather and travel updates as we have them. If you have been impacted by the storm or have photos you would like to share, please email [email protected].

• Kent weather warning returns on Saturday 08:28
• Where flood alerts have been issued in Kent 08:12
• Full Southeastern train service will run 08:01
• More heavy rain to fall in Kent until midnight 20:17
• Diversions in place as M20 partly closed 16:56

Canterbury City Council declares SWEP

With more adverse weather conditions forecast for the weekend, including another yellow weather alert for rain, Canterbury City Council has announced that it has activated its Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). The council has stated that this will likely remain in place until Monday, November 6.

CCC has said: “SWEP is a humanitarian response to periods of severe weather conditions. There is no single definition of severe weather and as such we take a flexible approach when considering its implementation.”

Important - activation of SWEP Our Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) has been activated today (Thurs 2 Nov) and is likely to remain in place until Monday. If you have concerns about anyone you see sleeping rough, let us know via Streetlink: https://t.co/lcI1QcWGfQ pic.twitter.com/CrMYEo7h3r — Canterbury City Council (@canterburycc) November 2, 2023

Sewage released at 12 Kent beaches

Following the intense bouts of heavy rain brought by Storm Ciaran yesterday, Surfers Against Sewage has recorded 12 sewage releases along the Kent coast this morning (November 3). Combined Sewage Overflows (CSOs) take place during spells of high rain to reduce the risk of damage from flooding.

These releases consist of both rainwater and sewage, but Southern Water has stated in the past that they are heavily diluted, consisting of 95 per cent water. Releases have been recorded in Sheerness, Whitstable, Here Bay, Thanet and Folkestone.

There has also been a CSO at Tankerton, which at the end of 2022 was found to have seen more overflows than any other beach in the county that year . In total, over 170 ‘events’ were reported at this bathing site, which amounted to 529 hours of wastewater pumped into the sea.

A number of protests have been held against these releases as a result, including one in September organised by SOS Whitstable which was attended by thousands. Protesters demanded an end to the releases and harsher penalties for those responsible.

Dr Nick Mills, head of Southern Water’s clean rivers and seas task force, said: “We understand the concerns being raised in Whitstable about water quality, and share our communities’ passion for protecting and enhancing the health of our rivers and seas. This is why we’re investing significant money and resources, optimising our assets and using innovative technology and natural solutions to divert or slow the flow of water entering our sewers – and significantly reduce the use of storm overflows.”

Kent sewage releases - Friday, November 3

Herne Bay Central

Margate Fulsam Rock

Walpole Bay, Margate

West Beach, Whitstable

Kent weather warning returns on Saturday

Another yellow weather warning for rain has been issued by the Met Office that will affect southern and eastern areas of Kent. This will come into force from 3pm on Saturday (November 4) and remain in place until midnight.

Towns from Whitstable to Folkestone are included in the impacted areas along the coast, as well as Canterbury, Ashford, and south of Tunbridge Wells inland. The Met Office said flooding of homes is possible as well as dangerous conditions at the coast with large waves. The forecaster said:

A spell of heavy rain followed by frequent heavy and blustery showers are expected to affect southern coastal counties during Saturday. Around 20-30mm of rain could accumulate in some places with perhaps as much as 40mm by the end of the day. Accompanied by strong winds along the coast, these showers are likely to cause flooding of a few roads, leading to travel disruption and possibly the flooding of a few homes and businesses. In addition, dangerous coastal conditions with large waves and spray are likely.

Kent Police statement on M20 Operation Brock

Kent Police said the M20 coastbound closure for Operation Brock will allow freight bound for the continent to queue on the empty section of the motorway and hopes to keep any disruption to Kent’s wider road network to a minimum. The force added that all EU-bound freight must use the M20 whilst all other traffic must follow the signed diversions.

Chief Supt Simon Alland, of Kent Police's Tactical Operations Command, commented:

The closure of the M20 is an emergency measure that is only used following consultation with our partners in the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) and after a thorough assessment of issues including public safety and traffic volumes.

M20 traffic diverted along A20 and Dover TAP in place

Dover TAP has been implemented on the A20 as Operation Brock was put in place to deal with Channel freight on the M20. Kent County Council's Highways team posted details of the TAP including that it means a 40mph speed limit in the area. The Port of Dover reported at 6am (November 3):

Port is busy for freight traffic, TAP in place. Tourist traffic is free-flowing through the Port. All approach roads to the Port (A2 / A20) are running normally.

Dover Tap has been implemented on the A20: https://t.co/Tln4Xh6D4h pic.twitter.com/RWuV1BBw5s — KCC Highways (@KentHighways) November 3, 2023

Where flood alerts have been issued in Kent

The Environment Agency has issued 10 flood alerts across Kent, with some having been in place for days. They warn people in areas including Maidstone, Sevenoaks, and Ashford should "be prepared" because flooding is possible.

• Lower River Medway - Maidstone, West Malling, Snodland, Aylesford
• Middle River Medway - Tonbridge
• New Romney Sewage Arm - New Romney
• River Bourne from Hadlow to East Peckham - Addlestead, Hadlow, Borough Green
• River Darent from Westerham to Dartford - Sevenoaks, Westerham, Lullingstone, Dartford
• River Rother and its tributaries from Turks Bridge to the Royal Military Canal - Tenterden
• Rivers Eden and Eden Brook - Chiddingstone, Edenbridge
• River Teise area from Lamberhurst to Goudhurst - Goudhurst
• Upper River Medway - Tunbridge Wells
• Upper River Stour - Ashford

Full Southeastern train service will run

Rail operator Southeastern said it hopes to run a full service today (November 3) but warned there will be some cancellations in the morning. It confirmed all routes are open. In an update on Friday morning (November 3) the company said:

Following a number of trees falling on the railway on Thursday during Storm Ciarán, all lines will be open today (Friday, November 3). We expect to run a full service but please do check your journey before travelling to the stations for any short notice changes.

Map shows M20 Operation Brock closure

A live traffic map from National Highways shows where the coastbound M20 closure is in place due to Operation Brock. This is between Junctions 8 and 9 - Ashford and past Maidstone.

Operation Brock in place as M20 closed coastbound to non-freight traffic

The M20 coastbound has been closed to non-freight traffic with Operation Brock in place to deal with a backlog of lorries unable to cross the Channel due to Storm Ciarán. In an update on Friday morning (November 3), National Highways confirmed a diversion route is in place.

Travel service Inrix also reported the disruption to travel and said:

Speed restriction due to Operation Brock where all freight traffic heading for a channel crossing must go through the coned area on M20 coastbound from J8 (Leeds Castle / Maidstone Services) to J9 (Ashford). The J8 coastbound entry slip road is also closed to all traffic.

Diversion - all other traffic not heading for a channel crossing, or local East Kent freight must use the contraflow on the other side.

*Reminder* Operation Brock remains active The #M20 remains closed for non freight traffic - coastbound between J8 #Maidstone and J9 #Ashford . This is to assist with queuing freight traffic for @Port_of_Dover and @LeShuttle More info, inc. diversion:- https://t.co/RL7F6u84OP pic.twitter.com/2vC2Jge3wR — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 3, 2023

Photos show waves crashing over promenade in Folkestone

More heavy rain to fall in Kent until midnight

Heavy rain is being forecast across Kent until midnight, although conditions should start to clear from around 1am, according to the latest Met Office forecast. By 3am there is less than a 5% chance of rain.

Friday is set to be a largely dry day with sunny intervals, although there is a chance of light showers in the afternoon

Port of Dover remains open but some services are delayed

The Port of Dover is still open to shipping but it says the adverse weather is still causing some delays to services.

Passengers are being advised to check with their ferry operator for updates

Winds of 78mph recorded in Kent, council says

A wind speed of 78mph was recorded at Langdon Bay as #StormCiaran came through #Kent and there has been between 30 and 40mm of rain. Weather warnings are still in place. Please continue to be weather aware. The latest from the Kent Resilience Forum here: https://t.co/ZIGdS3TtXW pic.twitter.com/S5bSa36d6k — Kent County Council (@Kent_cc) November 2, 2023

Floods minister says emergency services 'working incredibly hard'

Floods Minister Rebecca Pow said: “I am grateful to the emergency services teams across the country working incredibly hard to respond to Storm Ciaran which continues to bring strong winds and rain across the south coast.

“Potential flooding risks remain across the country with river levels remaining high with large waves at the coast and saturated ground. Environment Agency teams are on the ground operating assets, clearing rivers and debris from falling trees and working with partners to support residents in communities at risk or recently affected by flooding.

“We have activated our Emergency Operations Centre, and are supporting the Cabinet Office to coordinate the government response.”

Diversions in place as M20 partly closed

The diversion for all light vehicles such as cars (including tourist traffic bound for Eurotunnel and Port of Dover) and HGVs under 15'6 for local destinations is:

• Exit the M20 at J8 and take the third exit at the roundabout and at the next roundabout take the first exit on to the A20
• Remain on the A20 until the junction with Fougeres Way where it will will turn northwards towards J9 of the M20.

Tourist traffic bound for the Port of dover is advised to follow the below strategic diversion route:

• Leave the M20 at J7 and and take the 1st exit onto the A249 northbound.
• Follow the A249 northbound to the M2 J5 and join the M2 eastbound at J5.
• Continue on the M2 eastbound to J7 Brenley Corner roundabout and take the 4th exit onto the A2 eastbound.
• Follow the A2 eastbound to the Port of Dover

"We understand the inconvenience this can cause"

Mark Hallett, National Highways South East Regional Operations Manager, said:

"I would urge anyone travelling in the area to allow extra time to complete their journey. Along with our partners in the KRF we have carefully planned contingency plans to help keep Kent moving when we do encounter delays at the ports. "We understand the inconvenience this can cause and appreciate the patience of road users. The situation will continue to be closely monitored and we will keep you updated on any changes or the removal of the closure."

Operation Brock brought in on M20

Operation Brock is now active. The #M20 has been closed coastbound between J8 #Maidstone and J9 #Ashford for non frieght traffic. For more information fillow this link: https://t.co/RL7F6u84OP pic.twitter.com/yyHjh6VS5P — National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) November 2, 2023

M20 closed due to 'adverse weather' during Storm Ciaran

The M20 has been partly closed coastbound this evening between junctions 8 and 9. Kent Police said it was due to "disruption caused by the adverse weather conditions" during Storm Ciaran.

Police said the closure will allow freight bound for the continent to queue on the empty section of motorway. All EU-bound freight must use the M20 while all other traffic must follow signed diversions

P&O Services suspended once again

Following the earlier announcement that the Port of Dover had re-opened, P&O Ferries has now confirmed that it has had to once again suspend sailings. This is due to the ongoing adverse weather, with strong winds and downpours forecast for the remainder of the day.

#PODOVER / #POCALAIS - Unfortunately due to the severe weather conditions our services are again suspended between Dover and Calais. As soon as there is a change to the situation we will update our feeds. We apologise for the delays experienced today — P&O Ferries Updates (@POferriesupdate) November 2, 2023

Crash on the M20

All traffic is being held on the M20 this afternoon (November 2). There has been a hold on traffic heading eastbound since 2pm.

There has been a crash on the carriageway after Junction 3 for the M26. Emergency services are in attendance.

Follow live updates here.

'Avoid travelling if you can'

A yellow weather warning for wind and rain remains in place for parts of #Kent and #Medway . People are being urged to avoid travelling if you can, and to stay at home where possible. Find out more about weather-related incidents in the county, here https://t.co/kyTOa4cLVl pic.twitter.com/MCVzSZWEKg — Kent Fire and Rescue Service (@kentfirerescue) November 2, 2023

Power cuts across Kent

The adverse weather has brought about numerous unplanned power cuts throughout the county. The likes of Ashford, Medway, Canterbury, Thanet and more have been affected.

UK Power Networks has said: "Our engineers are working hard to restore power to customers affected by Storm Ciarán across the South East. If you or someone you know needs extra support during a power cut, call 105."

You can check power cuts in your area here.

Advice from the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF)

As the county continues to endure gale-force winds and heavy downpours as a result of Storm Ciarán, new advice has been given for Kent's residents as the adverse weather continues into the afternoon and evening. Though the Met Office's amber alert for wind was lifted at midday, yellow alerts remain in place for wind and rain across the county.

While these alerts are in place, the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) is asking residents to only travel if necessary and keep up to date with the latest forecast and advice. The KRF has warned that the blustery conditions will continue to make for tricky driving conditions and with downpours falling onto already saturated ground, the county will continue to experience localised flooding.

A number of flood alerts are in place covering inland and coastal areas , and residents are urged to 'be prepared'. Gusts, fallen trees and debris including leaves and branches will also continue to contribute to disruption to transport - including trains and ferries - and isolated power outages.

KRF’s Tactical Lead Toby Howe said: “In fast-moving severe weather incidents, emergency teams have a lot to contend with and we urge residents to help us keep everyone safe by not taking unnecessary risks – including staying away from seafronts. It is not worth risking your life and others for that selfie.

“Only travel if you really have to and if you do have to go out, really do take care. With continued rain there will be flooding. It will be gusty throughout the day, so the risk of trees and branches coming down will continue to be a risk. We ask that residents keep up to date with the latest weather forecasts, travel information and advice.”

Buses damaged in storm

The Met Office said Langdon Bay, near Dover, recorded 71mph winds this morning. Meanwhile, two buses were damaged in the strong gales in Capel-le-Ferne, between Dover and Folkestone, causing disruption to services in the area.

Video footage from news agency PA, below, shows both buses - stationary on a hill in Capel-le-Ferne - after their front windscreens had been blown out. A Stagecoach spokesman said: “There are no reports of any injuries to passengers travelling on the buses.”

Hour-by-hour forecast

Storm Ciarán has brought gale force winds, torrential downpours, travel disruption, power cuts and flooding across Kent today (November 2) - and the adverse weather is set to continue. KentLive has pulled together an hour-by-hour forecast for Thursday from the Met Office.

Find the full forecast here.

New weather warning for rain this weekend

While the worst of Storm Ciarán will be hitting Kent today, the Met Office has also issued a yellow weather warning for rain on Saturday (November 4). This alert covers much of the county, particularly the coast, including Folkestone, Dover, Thanet, Whitstable and Herne Bay as well as Canterbury, Ashford and Faversham.

This alert comes into place from 3pm and will remain until 11.59pm, with downpours of over 32mm an hour forecast for some parts of the county during this time. It has been warned the flooding of homes and buildings is possible due to the heavy downpours, while bus and train services are likely to once again be impacted.

Spray and flooding on roads could make journey times longer, while dangerous conditions are forecast for the coast. Large waves are expected for exposed shorelines, with residents urged to take extra care.

M25 entry slip road re-opened

The latest update from Inrix states: "M25 anticlockwise entry slip road re-opened, delays cleared, earlier flooding at J1a A206 (Dartford Tunnel)."

High winds and large waves at the coast

Images taken of Folkestone Harbour Arm this morning (November 2) show the Kent landmark being battered by strong winds and large waves. Gusts of up to 80mph have been forecast for the south east coast today, with a yellow weather warning for wind in place over Kent until 5pm this evening.

It has been warned that injuries could occur as a result of debris being caught in the strong winds. The Met Office added: "Injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties."

Got a photo to share? Email it to [email protected] .

Flood alerts issued

Flood alerts are now in force across Kent as Storm Ciarán continues to batter the county. The Environment Agency has issued the warnings - which mean flooding is possible - for waterways in a number of areas.

Read the full story here.

Port of Dover update

The Port of Dover has now re-opened to shipping. However, delays are to be expected throughout the day.

The Port of Dover has now re-opened to shipping, though some delays should be expected over the coming hours as traffic clears. Passengers should continue to follow @PoD_travelnews and check with their chosen ferry operator for updates throughout the day. — Port of Dover Travel (@PoD_travelnews) November 2, 2023

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