Redevelopment aims to reduce traffic around port

A major redevelopment is now under way at the Port of Dover, aiming to ease congestion and reduce reliance on traffic management systems in the surrounding area.

The £40m Dover Border Access Improvement Scheme will reconfigure border control facilities within the eastern docks, creating capacity for up to 500 additional lorries and expanding space for border processing booths.

BBC South East has been given exclusive access to the port as construction starts.

Port chief executive Doug Bannister said the improvements could mean two traffic management measures are needed far less often during periods of disruption and peak demand.

At present, Dover TAP can see lorries queueing close to homes in Aycliffe, while motorists and residents have previously complained that Operation Brock on the M20 has caused significant disruption.

Nikki Bushell, who has lived in Aycliffe for nearly 20 years, told BBC Radio Kent that she "did not hold much hope" for the initiative.

"I don't think you can ever get rid of the traffic flow, even getting more space down the port it might probably take more time to process lorries to get them through," she said.

Bannister said he acknowledged scepticism from residents including Bushell.

"We haven't always had a strong track record [in efforts to ease disruption], so it's important that we show this new scheme can make a meaningful difference," he said.

According to Kent County Council, the improvements are expected to reduce the frequency and duration of Operation Brock and Dover TAP by up to 80% during normal operations.

The scheme is expected to help keep traffic within the port, reducing the impact on the A20, M20 and surrounding road network.

"We have been working on this project for four years and believe motorists will begin to see the benefits from 2028," Bannister added.

"We are confident this is a fundamental intervention that will make a real difference."

Helen Whately, MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, attended the site on Friday.

Whately, who has long campaigned to reduce gridlock on the M20, said Operation Brock's implementation regularly left motorists facing lengthy delays.

"This investment at the port should mean Operation Brock is used as an emergency measure, rather than something that's routinely brought in during school holidays and half-terms," she said.

"As Kent grows, with more housing and more vehicles on the road, the pressures are only going to increase. Doing nothing isn't an option."

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