Two major government plans for a no-deal Brexit have already been triggered and are still running today – despite the EU delaying the October 31 deadline.
The emergency measures were both launched before the EU agreed a three-month extension meaning the UK won’t crash out on the bloc on Halloween .
As of this afternoon, they are both still in force – with a plan limiting trucks to 30mph not expected to be dismantled until at least Wednesday.
It comes after Tory no deal chief Michael Gove triggered elements of Operation Yellowhammer – which seek to avert food, fuel and medicine shortages – when the Prime Minister’s Brexit deal was defeated in the Commons on October 19.
Hundreds of civil servants were moved from their day jobs into full-time operations centres across the country as the plan.
Cabinet Office officials confirmed Operation Yellowhammer “remains operational” as of 3.30pm today.
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“Planning will not stop, as we must be able to mitigate the impact of even the potential reasonable worst case scenarios when we exit, whatever the circumstances,” a government official said.
Meanwhile Operation Brock, designed to manage traffic congestion on the M20 which leads to Kent’s ports of Folkestone and Dover, came into force at 6am today.
It means a 13-mile stretch of the coastbound M20 is being used only by HGVs heading to cross-Channel ports – restricting them to 30mph.
All other traffic in both directions is forced into a 50mph contraflow system on the opposite carriageway.
As of 3pm Operation Brock was still in operation. And a source told the Mirror that the motorway would not be back to normal today as removing the infrastructure takes around 48 hours.
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A Highways England spokesperson said: “We are keeping the deployment of Operation Brock continually under review and are ready to stand it down if it will not be needed.
“Any decision to de-activate Operation Brock will be taken jointly, and we are in constant contact with the Government and our partners in Kent.”
Operation Brock was initially deployed on March 25, four days ahead of the first planned Brexit date.
It was deactivated about three weeks later following the delay to the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, but the steel barriers for the contraflow system and 50mph speed limit remain in place.
It comes after Boris Johnson pledged to spend £100m on the biggest advertising campaign since World War 2 to tell people to “get ready” for October 31.
It involved an “unprecedented marketing blitz” on billboards, radio and television to prepare for a no deal departure.
(Image: Christopher Furlong)
Downing Street was unable to say today how much of the £100million had been spent.
Josh Hardie, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: “Business will be relieved that common sense has prevailed and a damaging no deal exit has been avoided this year.
“But uncertainty remains high. It is vital – this time – the extra time leads to a deal. All politicians must break the gridlock and let the country move on.
“Then economic evidence must be the guiding light as the UK’s future relationship with the EU develops.
“Firms are keen to see commitments to regulatory alignment, frictionless trade and the UK’s all-important services sector, protecting the UK economy over the longer-term.”
