The government is to spend a further £20 million to help efforts to mitigate the threat of disruption and delays on Kent roads after Brexit.

The extra cash for Operation Brock comes after a leaked report warned of 48-hour delays at Dover on day one of Brexit.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said the extra money, along with other measures, would help ensure the authorities were “prepared for any disruption that occurs at the border when we leave the EU on 31st October.”

In a letter to Ashford MP Damian Green, the minister says: “This announcement includes £20m of new funding for Operation Brock, as well as the department’s intention to shortly start the process of introducing secondary legislation to strengthen compliance with Operation Brock.

“These additional funds will help to minimise disruption and will go towards a suite of measures, including standing up services at Manston airfield, and the implementation of border readiness checks. The funding will add extra resilience to our contingency plans, minimising disruption and will help keep Britain moving.”

The government is set to introduce measures that will give more powers to traffic officers to require hauliers to present documents before they reach the border.

Mr Shapps said this “would also help to reduce the impact for residents by ensuring trucks do not congest the local road network.”

“The government takes the possible impact of a no-deal Brexit on local residents and businesses in Kent very seriously, and I hope you will welcome this news today as a step forward in our preparedness.”

The government’s latest cash injection follows an announcement that councils are to get extra money to help prepare for Brexit.

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