The cash injection will help improve the flow of traffic from the UK to the EU, with more border control points and a new exit route to help the port operate more efficiently and reduce congestion on local roads.

Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, said: "This will be a transformational project, delivering the next evolution of Britain’s busiest ferry terminal with a reconfigured layout and enhanced border control points to help secure traffic flow and capacity for the long term."

The leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough, said the enhancements will not only have a positive impact on Dover and the surrounding area, but the county and its economy as a whole.

"I can’t promise on the back of this [Operation Brock] will never happen again and no one thing is a silver bullet for this issue, but this can be seen as a major step forward," he added.

"Given the new border arrangements for the European Union, the so-called Entry Exit System, which may well be coming in later this year, it is doubly important that we focus on this issue."