A network of 20,000 farms are taking action to drive down water pollution and protect the environment

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The final preparations to keep Britain moving after Brexit are taking place as traffic management preparations in Kent are stepped up, government has announced today (14 October 2019).

Operation Brock will go live on 28 October to manage any traffic disruption and help keep trade moving in and out of the UK.

The government has worked closely with the Kent Resilience Forum to implement the scheme, which will manage any delays to Europe-bound freight while protecting local roads from disruption.

It will keep the M20 open in both directions for all other traffic, minimising any impacts on local residents, businesses and public services.

This comes as the Department for Transport launches a targeted information campaign to ensure hauliers know what to expect if they are travelling to the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel in a no-deal Brexit scenario.

Transport Minister Chris Heaton-Harris, said:

We want residents in Kent and hauliers travelling from across the EU to be reassured that there are robust plans in place to deal with any disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

We now need everyone to do their bit – whether you are travelling to see family, heading to work or transporting vital goods around the country, please check before you travel to ensure you know what to expect and have the right documents when heading to the border.

Hauliers driving during Operation Brock and heading to Europe via the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel will need to be on the Operation Brock routes and follow all diversions, instructions and speed restrictions rather than relying on satellite navigation systems.

They will also need to be ready to show that they have the right paperwork before reaching the border to avoid being turned back – or else risk facing fines and further delays.

Operation Brock

New legislation will help keep them on main routes through Kent and away from local roads – reducing the impact of any disruption on local communities.

Traffic officers in Kent will have new and enhanced powers from 31 October to help ensure hauliers are complying with the Operation Brock system.

Final works in the coming weeks will ensure that the holding areas are ready to be activated on October 28 as Operation Brock goes live.

This means that from 26-27 October there will be overnight closures on the M20 between junctions 7 and 9, so that final preparations can be carried out safely.

Policy Manager for South East England at Freight Transport Association Heidi Skinner said:

Any move which keeps traffic flowing to and from the coast, and through and around Kent, is to be welcomed in order to keep Britain trading.

Our members have been asking for clarity on the arrangements for some time, so this news will help them to prepare for a potential no deal Brexit and any resulting traffic disruption which may occur.

Once Operation Brock goes live on Monday 28 October, lorries heading for mainland Europe will need to use the coastbound carriageway of the M20 between junctions 8 and 9, with a 30mph speed limit in place.

All other traffic will run on the London-bound carriageway between these junctions, with two lanes in each direction operating at 50mph.

In addition, Highways England is fast-tracking work to ensure that key slip roads at a new junction being created on the M20 near Ashford will be open to traffic by the 31 October.

Seeking views on whether we should set a compliance fee for 2019. We also want your views on two proposals for managing this year’s fee.

World demand for food is expected to grow by 60% to feed a rising and more prosperous global population.

Food producers in the UK and China need to supply what we eat in a more sustainable and efficient way, reducing pollution, minimising waste and improving soil conditions.

The UK is a global leader in the technologies that will help to achieve this including in:

• environmental management
• earth observation
• sensors
• big data
• artificial intelligence
• robotics

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Transforming Food Production Challenge has up to £90 million to help businesses invest in new data-driven precision-agriculture technologies that could transform food production.

Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, has up to £5 million from the fund to invest in UK businesses undertaking joint projects with Chinese partners to develop new integrated precision farming technology that helps towards achieving a sustainable position of net-zero emissions.

The Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China is investing a similar amount to support the work of Chinese partners.

Projects must drive UK growth and exports

Projects must be in line with the aims of the Transforming Food Production Challenge to improve agricultural productivity and reduce emissions, to drive growth in UK precision agriculture companies, and to develop export opportunities.

They could cover:

• remote sensing of crop growth and nutrients, soil health, weather, crop yields, water stress and pests through satellites, drones and sensors
• smart pasture production including animal feeding systems, analysis of herds and individual animals, environmental control systems, methane reduction and improved animal welfare
• precision technologies for indoor farming such as for planting, transplanting, harvesting, watering or applying fertiliser
• exploitation of big data to improve productivity
• robotic systems for agriculture including for detecting pests and diseases, making precision applications of agrochemicals and planting and transplanting

Projects must show equal effort on the UK and Chinese side and must work with commercial end users, which could be demonstration sites, farms, laboratories or other research and development facilities in one or both countries.

Competition information