Motorists have been warned to expect serious delays across the southeast following the closure of a major route linking Dover with the rest of the county after a collision.
The A20 westbound has been closed between the A256 at Dover and the B2011 at Capel-le-Ferne after an HGV left the carriageway, triggering a police-led recovery operation.
National Highways confirmed the closure in the early hours of Sunday morning, with officials warning it would likely remain in place for "most of the morning".
The closure has been put in place to ensure the safety of police officers and specialist recovery crews working at the scene.
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The incident is being treated as a police-led operation, with complex recovery work required to remove the vehicle from the roadside.
The affected stretch of the A20 is a crucial link for traffic heading to London from the Dover area, particularly for freight and port-related journeys.
With the westbound carriageway shut, drivers have been urged to allow extra time, consider alternative routes, or delay travel altogether where possible.
The incident is expected to take most of the morning to clear
|GETTY/NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
A clearly signed diversion is in place. Motorists are being told to exit the A20 at the York Street junction, travel northbound on York Street, continue to the Priory Road roundabout, then turn left onto the B2011 Folkestone Road.
Drivers should follow the B2011 westbound before re-joining the A20 at the Courtwood Interchange.
National Highways said: "The closure is required to ensure the safety of officers and specialist recovery crews working at the scene, and recovery operations are expected to take most of the morning."
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Drivers have been urged to follow the diversion in place
|NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
The incident comes during a busy period on Kent's roads, with holiday travel adding to congestion across the county.
Traffic experts warn that knock-on delays are likely on surrounding routes as drivers attempt to avoid the closure, particularly on local roads around Dover, Folkestone and Capel-le-Ferne.
The incident occurred near the Port of Dover
| GETTYWhile no further details have yet been released about the cause of the collision or whether anyone was injured, the involvement of an HGV and the length of the closure suggest a significant recovery operation is underway.
National Highways has urged motorists to stay up to date with the latest information before setting off to avoid being caught in a traffic jam.
Kent has several motorways and wide-laned dual carriageways that span across this district.
The M20 is one of Kent’s most frequently used motorways, spanning 52 miles. It acts as the main trade route for lorries moving from London to the Channel crossing at Folkestone or to the ferry port at Dover, via the extension of the A20.
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