As work begins on the M26, here’s what you need to know about how what work is being done on the Kent motorway and how it will affect traffic in the coming weeks.
Is the M26 closed and will it be turned into a lorry park?
Work has started to enable the motorway to be turned into a car park to deal with a No Deal Brexit.
Fears have been raised by manufacturers worried that a failure to strike a deal with Brussels could lead to hold-ups for freight crossing the channel because of the need for extra customs and other checks.
Highways England said it asked by the to look at how the M26 in Kent can be modified to hold lorries in case there are major hold-ups at Dover.
A plan called Operation Brock will also see traffic able to park on the nearby M20.
A 13 mile stretch of the M20 is currently closed under Operation Stack when lorries are forced to queue because of disruption to rail or ferry services, causing chaos for local journeys.
Highways England said the Department for Transport asked it to develop plans to “utilise the M26 to hold heavy goods vehicles, should further capacity be required in the future”.
"We will be undertaking site surveys on the M26 during October leading to the installation of two gates in the central reservation to support the safe management of freight in the future, if needed."
How will it affect traffic?
There will be overnight closures on the motorway until Monday and in the run up to Christmas between November 19 and December 21 while the work is carried out.
Diversions will be in place via the M25 and M20.
It was reported that the installation of gates suggests that a contraflow system and car park would also be operated on the Kent motorway.
Drivers will be diverted around the M25 and M20 between 10pm and 5am, doubling the length of journeys.
Local MP Tom Tugendhat said his community was kept in the dark about the M26 work after receiving assurances that nothing was planned.
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