Kent Highways held M20 traffic in both directions near Junction 11a shortly after 2pm after a loose dog triggered an emergency response. Vehicles were released at 2.30pm, and delays were then reduced gradually.
Motorway cameras showed long delays on the approach to Junction 11a for Folkestone Services. Drivers faced a standstill while the response was under way, with traffic held on both sides of the motorway.
Kent Highways and Junction 11a
Kent Highways posted shortly after 2pm that traffic was being held in both directions near Junction 11a due to a police incident. The account described the severity of the incident as high, which matched the camera images showing queues building on the approach.
The wording left a narrow gap between what was said and what was understood. Kent Highways used the police incident description, while the incident was understood to be a dog on the loose on the carriageway. That distinction matters to drivers because it points to an emergency response rather than a routine congestion problem.
Folkestone Services delays
The disruption was concentrated near Folkestone Services, where both directions of the M20 were affected. For drivers already on the road, the practical change came at 2.30pm, when traffic was released and the queues began to ease.
After that, delays were gradually reduced. The release did not erase the disruption instantly, but it did end the standstill and let traffic move again near Junction 11a.
Roundhill Tunnel in Folkestone
A separate lane closure on the coastbound A20 followed a car fire, and queues were building near the Roundhill Tunnel in Folkestone after the incident on the on-slip at Castle Hill interchange. Even so, the main M20 restriction was the one that stopped traffic in both directions, and that was the part drivers needed cleared first.
For anyone approaching Junction 11a after 2.30pm, the useful signal was simple: the hold had ended, but the tailbacks needed time to unwind. The remaining delay was the result of traffic that had already been stacked up by the closure, not a fresh stop on the motorway.
