Queues of lorries are forming on the M20 for the third time in two weeks.

Eurotunnel has increasingly seen long lines of trucks at its Folkestone terminal due to French authorities' trials of post-Brexit processes.

The first incident took place on Tuesday last week, with a second coming last Friday.

However today's queues are not related to Brexit, and instead operators GetLink are putting the traffic down to a pre-Christmas rush.

The Dover Traffic Assessment Project (TAP) was also put in place at 6.30am, responding to high volumes of traffic and potentially disrupting vehicle flow towards Dover.

Despite the queueing taking place along the coastbound carriageway's hard shoulder, the Junction 11 slip-road from the A20 has been closed for traffic management.

GetLink Group confirmed that they are working to clear the line as quickly as possible, with an average six-and-a-half departures every hour being filled up completely.

Similar queues are said to be expected from now until Christmas on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays - the normal peak days, exacerbated by increased seasonal shopping.

A pre-Brexit rush could also be playing a part.

It's now less than a month before the final Brexit transition date of January 1, when Britain will officially leave the EU.

From Friday, December 11 to Monday, December 14, the M20 will be shut overnight between Junctions 8 and 9.

Taking place from 8pm to 8am, the closures will allow for the trialling of moveable barriers set to be used in the event that Operation Brock is implemented.

Highways England's project manager Manish Somrah that it will also "need to close parts of the M20 on weeknights before the test to put out traffic management."

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