Highways England and the Kent Resilience Forum are mobilising a movable barrier system on a section of the motorway from this Friday, which forms a key element of ‘Operation Brock’.

The barrier makes it possible to implement a contraflow system on the M20, with port bound heavy goods vehicles queuing on one carriageway while general traffic continues to flow in both directions on the other.

“Testing this barrier now will ensure that if the system is needed it can be quickly and safely deployed, helping drivers get to where they need to be – even in the event of disruption at the end of the transition period and to assist with any other future disruption caused for any reason,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

This week’s Operation Brock test comes after the Public Accounts Committee’s latest report on Brexit preparedness highlighted that the UK still faces “the risk of serious disruption and delay” at Dover, with just three weeks to go until the end of the transition period on 31 December.

Border systems remain in development and plans for managing disruption or prioritisation of key goods are unclear, it added, despite preparation for EU exit costing taxpayers £4.4Bn so far.

Committee chair Meg Hillier said: “After 12 reports full of warnings since the Brexit vote, the evidence suggests that come 1 January we face serious disruption and delay at the short Channel crossings that deliver a majority of our fresh food supplies.

“The lack of definite next steps and inability to secure a deal adds to the challenge,” she added.

Highways England’s south east operations director Nicola Bell said the movable barrier test would help to “fine tune” Operation Brock, which “will keep Kent moving”.

Other elements of the procedure which can be used when needed include parking lorries at Manston airfield and a new inland border facility at Sevington near Ashford if the contraflow approaches capacity on the M20.

(Photograph: Highways England)