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Consultation starts on Dover lorry park
[ August 12, 2016 // Chris ]With public consultation on a new lorry park for the Dover area getting underway on 12 August, the Freight Transport Association called for a solution to future problems on Kent’s roads. The Highways England consultation on the proposed Stanford West lorry area lasts until 23 September.
FTA’s head of policy for London and the South East, Natalie Chapman, said: “FTA is hoping that this consultation will solve the problems associated with Operation Stack. We have been pressing for an end to the misery for thousands of residents and businesses whose lives have been repeatedly disrupted by Operation Stack on the M20, especially last year when it was implemented on 32 days. However, the design of the lorry site is crucial to ensure that trucks can be quickly moved to the port and Eurotunnel as soon as capacity is available.”
The Government allocated £250 million for a permanent lorry area in last year’s Autumn Statement to explore additional use of the area for overnight lorry parking to relieve the problem of illegal parking in the county.
Ms Chapman added: “FTA would rather avoid Operation Stack altogether and keep the wheels of industry turning, so it is important that the lorry park doesn’t become out of sight, out of mind. We still need to tackle the causes of Operation Stack.”