The government will face fresh pressure this week about its plans to use the M26 as a lorry park in the event of disruption caused by a "no-deal" Brexit.

Tonbridge and Malling MP Tom Tugendhat has secured an Adjournment Debate in the Commons on Thursday where he will reiterate his concerns about the plan to use a 10-mile stretch of the M26 as part of Operation Brock.

The previously undisclosed part of the contingency plan triggered a furious reaction from the MP and other Kent colleagues.

They complained they knew nothing about the plans, which have led to a programme of closures to allow Highways England to “test the resilience” of the M26 to hold lorries.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling sought to defend the plan during an interview, saying: “There’s no secret about this - we are making arrangements that if there is a major hold-up at Calais where the French decide to implement more stringent checks - or don’t have new arrangements in place - that we can put in place arrangements for lorries to be queued up waiting to go through the Channel ports without bringing Kent to a halt.”

He added: “We are going to make sure there is a through-motorway to the coast; last time [in 2015] the M20 was closed that caused traffic jams throughout Kent.”

Using the M26 would be a “fall back” in the event capacity to hold lorries on the M20 and at Manston airport site was exhausted, he added.

“This would keep Kent moving and keep traffic flowing in both directions while parking lorries,” he said.

Mr Tugendhat has already held one private meeting with ministers about the scheme after complaining bitterly that he had been initially told there were no plans to use the M26.

Meanwhile, KCC leader Paul Carter said he was sceptical about the inclusion of the M26 as part of wider contingency plans.

“The M26 option has been considered and researched in the past and dismissed as something that wouldn’t really work.”

“I am therefore somewhat surprised that this idea has resurfaced and that preparation work is underway to utilise the M26 as part of the Operation Brock contingency plans.”