Kent MPs are rallying against Highways England plans to shut the M20 in Kent for 10 hours overnight.

A total of eight MPs from Kent have signed a letter co-ordinated by Mid Kent and Faversham MP Helen Whately calling on the motorway to open at an earlier time, to avoid a “traffic horror show.”

As plans stand, Highways England will shut the motorway overnight between 8pm and 6am between junction eight for Leeds and nine for Ashford until the 11th of March.

As well as the closure there will be narrow lanes and and a 50mph speed restriction to prepare for Operation Brock, the plan to provide a lorry park across Kent after Brexit.

Although MPs agree preparations need to take place, they argue the motorway needs to open before 6am to ease in the surge of the morning traffic.

The letter states: “The late re-opening of the motorway has a knock-on impact for several hours, with motorists arriving late to work and other destinations and pupils missing lessons because of delayed buses.

“The impact on local roads and the congestions caused by the build-up of traffic on the motorway will have a harmful impact on the local economy and businesses.”

The letter was signed by almost half of all Kent MPs including Tracey Crouch (Chatham and Aylesford), Charlie Elphicke (Dover), Damian Green (Ashford), Michael Fallon (Sevenoaks), Tom Tugendhat (Tonbridge and Malling), Roger Gale (North Thanet), Helen Grant (Maidstone and The Weald) and Gordon Henderson (Sittingbourne and Sheppey).

Talking to Kent Current Tracey Crouch, Helen Whatley and Tom Tugenhadt all suggested that Highways England open the motorway at an earlier time of 4:30am.

The letter co-ordinator Helen Whatley told Kent Current: “What we’ve seen from previous closures is if the motorway is closed until 6am it actually causes huge traffic problems.

“This is because this is a time when people are already trying to get to work.

“We just have to have the motorway open sooner than 6 o’clock so it doesn’t get in the way of the people from Kent getting to school and getting to work.”

The closures begin today, Friday 8th February and will continue until Monday 11th March.