A new temporary holding area for freight approaching the port of Dover on the A20 during peak periods of demand for ferry services has been tested.

The scheme is designed to complement Operation Stack, while also easing severe congestion and tailbacks along Dover's Townwall Street.

Kent Police, along with Port of Dover, the Highways Agency, ferry operators and other partners who are involved with Operation Stack tested a traffic management system between the Court Wood and Aycliff roundabouts on the coastbound stretch of the A20 on Sunday afternoon.

Were you caught up in the experiment on Sunday? Let us know what you think of the plans in the comments section below.

It could be introduced whenever phase one of Operation Stack has to be implemented because of the recent fire that has restricted capacity through the Channel Tunnel.

The system works by separating lorries into a queue on the nearside coastbound lane of the A20 from the Court Wood roundabout, with the outside lane remaining open to other traffic.

The temporary holding area was set up simultaneously with phase one of Operation Stack, which runs between junctions 11 (Hythe) and 12 (Cheriton) on the coastbound section of the M20 when required.

Freight traffic in the holding queue is called forward as space becomes available in the docks and is designed as a temporary measure to stay in place for only a few hours.

Assistant Chief Constable Allyn Thomas said: "Operation Stack and all the associated options we've used so far are not something we as a police force want to have to implement.

"Any traffic management causes some level of disruption, but what we are trying to achieve here is to minimise the effect of peak freight demand for services to the continent."