M20 re-opened as Operation Stack lifted after lorry backlog cleared
Published: 08:09, 13 March 2013
Lorries queuing on the M20 during Operation Stack. Picture: Kent Highways
The M20 fully re-opened early today when Operation Stack was finally lifted after more than 36 hours.
A stretch of the motorway was shut since Tuesday afternoon because of bad weather on roads in Kent and northern France.
Kent Police confirmed the backlog of lorries had been cleared early this morning.
Hundreds of trucks had been parked on the coastbound carriageway of the M20 between junctions 8 and 9 in a queue to cross the Channel.
Operation Stack Phase 2 means all traffic is taken off the M20 coastbound at junction 8 for Leeds Castle.
Lorries are then put back on and held in a queue. Other traffic is diverted along the A20 before rejoining the motorway at junction 9 at Ashford.
Meanwhile, Eurostar passengers still face disruption today on services through Ebbsfleet and Ashford due to adverse weather conditions.
Speed restrictions are in place on the line through northern France causing delays of up to half-an-hour.
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Danny Boyle