A mini version of Operation Stack is being introduced in Dover this week to cut traffic congestion in the event of cross-Channel delays.

Following a successful trial of the scheme on Sunday, the new traffic system is designed to complement Operation Stack when delayed lorries are held on sections of the M20.

Now lorries approaching the Port of Dover on the A20 will wait in a temporary holding area, which will operate for a maximum of two hours while phase one of Operation Stack is set up.

The scheme is designed to ease severe congestion and tailbacks along Dover's Townwall Street when continental freight traffic starts building up at the port.

Under the new arrangement, lorries will be separated 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, travelling in a restricted mandatory 50mph limit.

Freight traffic in the holding queue will be called forward as space becomes available in the docks.

Kent police Assistant Chief Constable Allyn Thomas said: “The trial of this new scheme produced good results.

“It also means we can work more closely with the ferry operators to make sure services they are running are loaded to capacity, which will make the port operation as effective as possible.”