Major motorway tunnel used by 150,000 drivers a day to CLOSE for maintenance – check your route

A BUSY major motorway used by thousands of drivers every day will close for maintenance - check your route.

The controversial Operation Brock contraflow will principally affect motorists as we head into the spring bank holiday weekend.

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The Dartford Crossing, which connects Dartford in Kent to Thurrock in Essex, will undergo overnight works which are set to trigger significant disruption.

National Highways also confirmed that the M20 motorway will be closed between Maidstone and Ashford overnight on Wednesday from 8pm so Operation Brock can be deployed.

This is at the request of the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum as higher passenger numbers are anticipated at the county’s ports over the bank holiday weekend.

The London-bound carriageway will shut between Junction 9 and Junction 8 from 8pm to 6am, while at the same time the coastbound carriageway will close between Junctions 7 and 9.

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Coastbound traffic will be diverted via the A249, M2, A2, and A20, as London-bound journeys are diverted via the A20, A2, M2 and A229.

The Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) said the decision was “not taken lightly” and was made to help reduce delays at the Port of Dover and in the surrounding areas during the busy period.

There is also a possibility that the contraflow could be reinstated for the summer holidays as it was in 2024 reports 

It is yet to be confirmed whether or not the contraflow will make a return for summer 2025, and Kent County Council has said that the KMRF will “take a view on the traffic management needed over the summer months once more accurate data is available.”

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However, the government is working on a permanent solution to the problem of congestion at the Port of Dover backing up traffic deep into Kent.

The new system would use a combination of new digital technology and off-road sites to hold HGVs during disruption, but is still in the early planning stages.

Here is a breakdown of the roadworks this week.

Monday, May 19

• The A2 eastbound will shut from Tollgate to the M2 Junction 2 between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Pepperhill entry slip will shut from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Ebbsfleet entry slip will be closed between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 westbound Darenth Interchange to M25 anti-clockwise Junction 2 link road will shut from 10pm to 5am for joint replacement works.
• The A20 westbound will close between Swanley Interchange and Ruxley from 10pm to 5.30am for resurfacing.
• The A21 northbound and southbound Intch Roundabout exit slip roads will shut between 9pm and 5am for KCC works.
• The A282 northbound west tunnel of the Dartford Crossing will shut between 9pm and 5am for tunnel works. Traffic will be diverted via the east tunnel.
• The M2 eastbound Junction 5 entry slip will shut from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The M20 eastbound between the Junction 6 exit and entry slip distributor road will close from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 6 entry slip will close from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 5 entry and exit slips will close from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 5 distributor road between the exit and entry slips will shut from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 2 exit slip will be shut between 10pm and 5am for maintenance.

Tuesday, May 20

• The A2 eastbound will shut from Tollgate to the M2 Junction 2 between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Pepperhill entry slip will shut from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Ebbsfleet entry slip will be closed between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound will close between Adisham Road and Westcourt Road from 11pm to 5am for maintenance.
• The A2 westbound Darenth Interchange to M25 anti-clockwise Junction 2 link road will shut from 10pm to 5am for joint replacement works.
• The A20 westbound will close between Swanley Interchange and Ruxley from 10pm to 5.30am for resurfacing.
• The A21 northbound and southbound Intch Roundabout exit slip roads will shut between 9pm and 5am for KCC works.
• The A21 will close in both directions between Coopers Corner and Johns Cross from 9pm to 5am for South East Water works.
• The A282 northbound west tunnel of the Dartford Crossing will shut between 9pm and 5am for tunnel works. Traffic will be diverted via the east tunnel.
• The M20 westbound Junction 6 to Junction 5 distributor road will be shut from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 westbound Junction 6 entry and exit slips will shut from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 westbound Junction 5 exit slip will close from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 2 exit slip will close from 10pm to 5am for maintenance.

Wednesday, May 21

• The A2 westbound Canterbury Road entry slip will shut from 8pm to 5am for maintenance.
• The A2 westbound Darenth Interchange to M25 anti-clockwise Junction 2 link road will shut from 10pm to 5am for joint replacement works.
• The A20 westbound will close between Swanley Interchange and Ruxley from 10pm to 5.30am for resurfacing.
• The A21 northbound and southbound Intch Roundabout exit slip roads will shut between 9pm and 5am for KCC works.
• The A282 northbound west tunnel of the Dartford Crossing will shut between 9pm and 5am for tunnel works. Traffic will be diverted via the east tunnel.
• The M20 London-bound will close from Junction 9 to Junction 8 between 8pm and 6am for the reintroduction of Operation Brock. Traffic will be diverted via the A20, A2, M2 and A229.
• The M20 coastbound will close from Junction 7 to Junction 9 between 8pm and 6am for the reintroduction of Operation Brock. Traffic will be diverted via the A249, M2, A2, and A20.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 8 entry slip will be shut while Operation Brock is in effect.
• The M20 westbound Junction 2 entry slip will be closed from 10pm to 5am for maintenance.
• The M26 eastbound will close from Junction 2a to the M20 Junction 3 between 10pm and 5.30am for drainage works. The eastbound Junction 2a entry slip will also be closed during this time.

Thursday, May 22

• The A2 eastbound will shut from Tollgate to the M2 Junction 2 between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Pepperhill entry slip will shut from 8pm to 6am for survey works.
• The A2 eastbound Ebbsfleet entry slip will be closed between 8pm and 6am for survey works.
• The A2 westbound Darenth Interchange to M25 anti-clockwise Junction 2 link road will shut from 10pm to 5am for joint replacement works.
• The A282 northbound west tunnel of the Dartford Crossing will shut between 9pm and 5am for tunnel works. Traffic will be diverted via the east tunnel.
• The A282 southbound Junction 1a exit slip will shut from 10pm to 5.30am for resurfacing.
• The M20 westbound Junction 6 to Junction 5 distributor road will be shut from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 westbound Junction 6 entry and exit slips will shut from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 westbound Junction 5 exit slip will close from 8pm to 6am for barrier works.
• The M20 eastbound Junction 8 entry slip will be shut while Operation Brock is in effect.
• The M26 eastbound will close from Junction 2a to the M20 Junction 3 between 10pm and 5.30am for drainage works. The eastbound Junction 2a entry slip will also be closed during this time.

Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25

• The M20 eastbound Junction 8 entry slip will be shut while Operation Brock is in effect.
• There are no further planned closures on the A2, A20, A21, M2, M20, M25 or M26 in Kent between these dates.