New infrastructure planned by the government to absorb disruption at the Channel ports will not be ready in time for a no-deal Brexit, because of delays in planning the project.

Highways Agency officials have told The Independent planned lorry parks will definitely not be available by March 2019 – too late to help tackle the estimated 30-mile lorry queues Dover is expected to face in the event of no deal being agreed upon.

The slow progress on constructing the off-road holding areas puts Britain in a weaker position to withstand a no-deal Brexit, undermining Theresa May’s “no deal is better than a bad deal” brinkmanship with Brussels.

Authorities have not even got as far as selecting the locations for the overflow lorry parks, with detailed proposals only set to be made public for consultation at the start of next year, 2019.

The delays to the project comes after the government scrapped advanced plans for an overflow lorry park at Stanford West, near Folkestone, in November last year, after being challenged over it in the courts. At the time, it was reported that a new solution would be ready by March 2019, but the timetable appears to have slipped again, with no date now set for completion.

Former transport secretary Lord Adonis said the government’s planning had been “ostrich-like”, while a spokesperson for Highways England said they would attempt to avoid disruption.

If Britain cannot reach a deal with the European Union it will crash out in March 2019 with no transition period and will immediately face customs checks and paperwork for the millions of trucks that pour off ferries and Channel Tunnel shuttles every year.

This failure to invest in – or prepare for – Brexit is emblematic of a Government that seems incapable of taking its own policies seriously Lord Adonis, former transport secretary

In recent weeks the Department for Transport unveiled contingency plans to convert part of the M20 motorway carriageway into a lorry park as a temporary stopgap – causing huge disruption to motorists and freight.

The threat of a no deal is looming larger than ever in Brussels, with no significant progress for months, issues thought to be settled in December rearing their heads again, and EU officials describing the UK’s approach as “fantasy”.

Lord Adonis, a supporter for the Best For Britain anti-Brexit campaign, told The Independent that Britain was being left “dangerously vulnerable” by the government’s lack of preparations.

“This failure to invest in – or prepare for – Brexit is emblematic of a government that seems incapable of taking its own policies seriously,” he said.

“These delays may well end up causing queues of lorries for miles and miles, clogging up Kent and beyond and causing shortages of goods in our supermarkets.

“This is just one of a number of areas where the government’s ostrich-like behaviour is leaving Britain dangerously vulnerable. I have just visited Rotterdam to see for myself the chaos that Brexit will cause our international trade.”

Though Brexiteers have been keen to stress that they are leaving the EU rather than Europe, there are a number of major physical changes that will be need to be made in time for the UK’s departure whether or not a deal is reached.

Theresa May has ruled out membership of the single market and customs union, meaning traders will face customs and regulatory checks upon entering the UK from Europe. This will require the expansion of physical infrastructure at ports and airports. Though the government wants a two-year transition period to give it time to prepare for Brexit, there will be none in the event of a “no deal”.

As part of the preparations, the Highways Agency says it wants to “develop one or more lorry-holding areas to reduce the congestion in Kent caused by cross-Channel disruption”, with the M20 and M2 motorways into Dover the focus of expansion. The new infrastructure is at the very early planning stage, however.

The Highways Agency does not mention Brexit in its consultation document on the new lorry parks, referring euphemistically instead to “disruptive events” that could cause them to be needed.

Road infrastructure in the region already regularly goes over capacity in the event of poor weather or industrial action, and Kent Police have developed an approach called Operation Stack where part of the M20 motorway is converted into a temporary lorry park. The procedure has been implemented dozens of times in the last few decades.

As well as the planned construction work on the south coast, the Home Office also revealed at the end of March that it was facing the task of recruiting an extra 1,000 border staff for Brexit.

Other countries that see a lot of trade with Britain are also making similar preparations. The Netherlands is recruiting over 700 customs officers for the port of Rotterdam and Schipol airport, major hubs that connect the UK to world markets. The port of Rotterdam itself predicts 9km of traffic jams on its side of the channel in the event of a “no deal” scenario.

A consultation document drawn up by the Highways Agency says: “Forecasts tell us that trafﬁc is expected to increase on the M20/A20 and M2/A2. The number of lorries travelling to and from the Kent ports is also expected to increase significantly.

Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson led the VoteLeave campaign PA Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit campaign Boris Johnson MP, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and UKIP MP Douglas Carswell address the people of Stafford in Market Square during the Vote Leave Brexit Battle Bus tour on 17 May 2016. Their lead line on the tour was: “We send the EU £350 million a week, let's fund our NHS instead.” Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Voting day A man shelters from the rain as he arrives at a polling station in London on 23 June 2016. Millions of Britons voted in the referendum on whether to stay in or leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Referendum results Leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, reacts at the Leave EU referendum party at Millbank Tower in central London as results indicated that it was likely the UK would leave the European Union AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Protesting the result A young couple painted as EU flags and a man with a sign reading “I’m not leaving” protest outside Downing Street against the voters decision to leave the EU on 24 June 2016 Getty Brexit so far: in pictures David Cameron resigns British Prime Minister David Cameron resigns on the steps of 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016 after the results of the EU referendum were declared and the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Theresa May Becomes the new Conservative Party leader Theresa May receives a kiss from her husband Philip, after becoming the new Conservative Party leader on 11 July 2016. 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British Prime Minister Theresa May faced pressure to resign on 9 June 2017 after losing her parliamentary majority, plunging the country into uncertainty as Brexit talks loomed. The pound fell sharply amid fears the Conservative leader would be unable to form a government AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Labour gains Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn gives a tumbs up as he arrives at Labour headquarters in central London on 9 June 2017 after the snap general election results showed a hung parliament with Labour gains and the Conservatives losing their majority AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit negotiations begin Brexit Minister David Davis and European Commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations Michel Barnier address a press conference at the end of the first day of Brexit negotiations in Brussels on 19 June 2017 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures May speaks in Florence British Prime Minister Theresa May speaks on 22 September 2017, in Florence. 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May and Macron agreed a new border security deal, through which the UK will pay more to France to stop migrants trying to reach British shores on 18 January 2018 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Transition period agreed The UK and EU agree terms for Brexit transition period on 19 March, 2018 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures No agreement on Irish border The EU and UK however failed to reach an agreement on the Irish border during the successful talks on other Brexit issues AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures EU attacks May’s ‘fantasy’ strategy For months after the March deal is struck there is little significant progress in talks. 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Getty Brexit so far: in pictures People's Vote march As the People's Vote campaign and The Independent's Final Say campaign gain traction, 700,000 people turn out in London to demand a final say on the UK's Brexit deal on October 20 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures More resignations As the Prime Minister settles on a Brexit deal, Brexit secretary Dominic Raab resigns along with Work and Pensions secretary Esther McVey and many other ministers Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Final Say petitions delivered to Downing Street People's Vote supporting MPs Chukka Umunna, Justine Greening and Caroline Lucas and The Independent editor Christian Broughton deliver over a million signatures in favour of a People's Vote to the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street on December 3 2018 PA Brexit so far: in pictures May delays vote On December 10, the Prime Minister delayed the vote on her Brexit deal as it was near certain not to pass through the Commons due to Tory rebels and lack of DUP support AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures No confidence motion Tory MPs triggered a confidence vote in the Prime Minister on December 12. She won by 200 votes to 117 Reuters Brexit so far: in pictures Commons rejects the deal Following the delay, the Prime Minister's deal was rejected in the Commons by a historic 230 votes AFP Brexit so far: in pictures Corbyn tables a no confidence motion Following the rejection of the Prime Minister's deal, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, which the government won by a margin of 19 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Plan B The Prime Minister won the support of the commons to return to Brussels to renegotiate the backstop on January 29. In the same sitting, MPs also voted against a no-deal Brexit in a non-legally binding motion PA Brexit so far: in pictures EU council president savages Brexit campaigners who failed to plan for departure: ‘Special place in hell’ There is a “special place in hell” for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without explaining how it should happen, Donald Tusk has said. 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In a joint statement the British government and European Commission said Ms May had had a “robust but constructive” meeting with president Jean-Claude Juncker, and that the pair would meet again before the end of the month. But the EU again refused to reopen the withdrawal agreement and its controversial backstop – with any negotiations expected to focus on the future relationship between the UK and EU instead Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brexit strategy lost MPs voted down May's Brext plans, with a majority of 45. The prime minister did not appear in parliament to see another defeat PA Brexit so far: in pictures Labour and Conservative MPs resign and create the Independent Group Back row of Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna and Mike Gapes, middle row of Angela Smith, Luciana Berger and Ann Coffey and front row of Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Joan Ryan PA Brexit so far: in pictures Non-biding votes on amendments to Brexit motion On February 27 he house held a series of votes, unanimously calling for the UK and EU to guarantee citizens rights in a no-deal scenario AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Attorney General publishes legal advice A hammer blow for May as Geoffrey Cox said her renegotiated deal can still leave UK in backstop against its will. Mr Cox did say the prime minister’s efforts had reduced the risk of the UK being trapped in the backstop indefinitely. MPs went on to vote against her deal by 391 to 242 UK Parliament/PA Brexit so far: in pictures No-deal off the table MPs rejected a no-deal Brexit by 43 votes on March 13, with cabinet ministers rebelling in another humiliating defeat for Theresa May. A day later they voted in favour of the prime minister seeking an extension to Article 50 AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures House speaker bans May from third Commons vote on same Brexit deal John Bercow sensationally told Theresa May he would stop her making another attempt to pass her Brexit deal unless she has secured changes. The Speaker said a further ‘meaningful vote’ would be ruled out of order if the motion was “the same or substantially the same’ – under an ancient convention to stop the government bullying parliament on issues MPs have rejected Parliament Live Brexit so far: in pictures May writes to Tusk The prime minister wrote to Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, to ask for a three-month extension to give her more time to try to get her deal through parliament. However the European Commission advises the EU27 should offer a short extension to May 23 or a longer one meaning the UK would participate in European elections 10 Downing Street/AFP/Getty Brexit so far: in pictures European Council summit Theresa May’s request to extend triggering Article 50 until the end of June was rejected by the EU, and instead offered a shorter time frame. She accepted the offer of a delay until May 22 if her withdrawal deal is approved by Parliament. If MPs rejected it for a third time, the EU said Britain must propose a new plan by April 12. Ms May said she will not support a long delay because it would mean Britain participating in elections for the European Parliament Getty Brexit so far: in pictures Brussels confirms preparations for a no-deal Brexit are completed They warned that it is “increasingly likely” the UK will crash out. In a statement the European Commission (EC) said “preparedness and contingency work”, which the EC has been conducting since December 2017, was now finished. The announcement came days after EU leaders agreed to a request by Theresa May to extend the UK’s Brexit date AFP Brexit so far: in pictures May resigns British Prime Minister Theresa May reacts as she delivers a statement in London, Britain, May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Simon Dawson SIMON DAWSON Reuters

“Since severe weather, equipment failure and other disruptive events can never be completely avoided, the risk is that Operation Stack will be implemented more frequently if action is not taken. Without action, the safety and journey time reliability of everybody using the motorways, major and local roads in Kent is likely to be affected.”

A Highways England spokesperson said: “We are clear that the disruption that people in Kent suffered in summer 2015 should never happen again.

“We are starting a public information exercise soon which will take a completely fresh look at long term solutions for Operation Stack and will ask people living, travelling and working in Kent for their views on what they’d like to see. The date these measures will be in place will depend on what option is chosen.