Government plans to avoid border chaos in the Brexit transition period with an Operation Stack alternative are in danger of being delayed, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned this week.

The watchdog warns that a version of Operation Stack, dubbed Project Brock, which will be used to control traffic on the M20 to Dover in the post-Brexit interim, has ‘‘very little room for delay’’ and carries ‘‘significant risk’.

The NAO report says its “detailed examination of the contingency preparations suggests that considerable work still needs to be completed,” with engineering works on Project Brock yet to start.

The report adds: “Highways England has reported that the project has very little room for delay and that it carries significant risks. Although a contract to undertake work was awarded on 11 May 2018 and detailed engineering plans have been drawn up, operational plans to put it into place were still being developed.”

A Highways England spokesman told MT that Project Brock “is currently in the development stage, we will provide more detail when designs are finalised, which will be towards the end of the year.”

Picture: PA Images

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