Member alert: Operation Brock - new permit scheme launches 10 July

The permits will ensure all freight drivers heading to the Port of Dover have followed the correct route. They will be enforced by partners of the Kent & Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) and are being brought in following a recent rise in non-compliance in Operation Brock, which is put in place to keep traffic flowing into the Port of Dover.

The scheme will mean that only freight issued with a permit will be allowed entry to the Port of Dover. Permits will only be issued to freight released from the Dover bound queue.

The message from the KMRF is ‘No Permit – No Access to the Port of Dover.’

•          Why are permits being introduced?

Whilst many freight drivers adhere to the rules of Operation Brock, there are a minority of hauliers who contribute to delays elsewhere in Kent by attempting to skip the queues.

Stepping up measures to ensure that freight drivers stick to the traffic management plan and do not circumnavigate the queues will reduce congestion and make all journeys to the Port of Dover more efficient for hauliers and tourists.

Compliance is not just necessary to effectively manage the traffic heading through Kent but will also help to reduce the impact of severe disruption on local communities.

•          How will the new permit system work?

When Dover TAP is activated on the A20, permits will be issued to Port of Dover bound freight drivers at the front of the Operation Brock queue. Hauliers will then have to leave the A20 at the Courtwood Interchange, at the junction of the A20 and the B2011, where their permits will be checked.

If they have complied, they will be allowed to re-enter the TAP queue on the A20 and continue their onward journey to the port.

Put simply, if hauliers have not followed the correct route through Brock and do not have a permit, they will not be able to access the Port of Dover.

•          What are the implications if hauliers don’t comply?

When Operation Brock is activated, the Statutory Instrument legislation comes into force, which identifies the prescribed routes for freight to access the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.

Freight which diverts from the prescribed routes faces the potential of financial penalty issued by the Police and DVSA. Freight which is found at the check point not to have the correct permit will be refused entry to the port and will be instructed to return to the rear of the Brock queues.

There they must wait in line to acquire the required permit. Hauliers will need a unique permit for every journey they make to the port and these can only be obtained at the front of Brock. Permits will be produced in a format that will not allow for replication or copying.

•          What about local hauliers?

Those Kent hauliers that qualify for a Local Haulier Permit will be sent this ahead of the busy summer period. There is no need to apply for a local licence as, if you fall within the catchment area, KMRF already has your details.

You can find out more about Local Haulier Permits by visiting Haulier permit system | Kent Prepared. Local deliveries and vehicles not attempting to access the port will not require a permit, and onward travel will be allowed at the check point.

Member request:

Please send us feedback regarding your own experiences - good or bad - as to how the permit scheme has affected you: Email: Josh Fenton, Logistics UK's Policy Manager – Trade, Customs and Borders: jfenton@logistics.org.uk

Published On: 04/07/2024 15:00:00

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