Speed restrictions limiting traffic to 50mph on the M20 have FINALLY been lifted.

Motorists can now drive 70mph on the M20, between Ashford and Maidstone, after more than two years of constraints.

Restrictions were put in place as National Highways started work to widen the central reservation at a cost of £20 million.

Contractors have upgraded the middle of the motorway between Junctions 8 and 9 to allow the concrete barrier used to make the Operation Brock contraflow to be moved there.

To allow work to safely take place, a 50mph speed limit was imposed on the coastbound carriageway of the motorway.

Having originally meant to be finished by spring, the repeated deployment of Brock pushed back the works deadline by a number of months.

It had been thought that work had been completed before Brock was brought back on July 13, in time for the summer holidays – but when it was removed three weeks later, restrictions on the coastbound side remained.

However, now that works are complete, the yellow average speed cameras that line the motorway are expected to be taken down.

A National Highways spokesman added that there are no concrete plans to bring Brock back in for the Rugby World Cup, which begins this weekend, or the October half-term.

“The Kent Resilience Forum is constantly monitoring the situation at the ports regarding the Rugby World Cup, however at this stage, there are no active plans to deploy the Brock barrier,” he said.

“The situation can change at short notice if there is disruption at the cross-Channel ports.

“Likewise, there are currently no active plans to deploy the barrier for the October half-term. The barrier hasn’t been needed during the same half term in 2021 or 2022.”