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Operation Stack | News Meeting fails to solve Stack


HIGHWAYS England has been told to come up with solutions to end the traffic chaos caused by Operation Stack.


It follows a meeting at County


Hall was attended by the Govern- ment’s road transport team at- tended by Kent Police, county council officials, MPs and repre- sentatives for the ports, Eurotun- nel, and lorry drivers. The idea of a contraflow, offering coastbound motorists access to the M20 on the London-bound car- riageway,was seen as a likely solu- tion. However, as Operation Stack came in to force on the M20 at Maidstone for the sixth time in five weeks, Highways England had re- jected the idea as “too dangerous”. It used the following reasons for rejecting the contraflow idea.  Using freestanding cones – the quickestway to set up a con- traflow – would risk collisions.  Emergency services would struggle to attend any incident.  It could not be easily switched on and off, causing delays.  It would disrupt the London- bound M20.  It would reduce space available for queuing HGVs. KCC cabinet member for trans-


port Cllr Matthew Balfour, said: “I am disappointed that Highways England considers a contraflow system to be unworkable, but it is for them to give the Government a solution and they need to get on with it.” With lorries repeatedly queuing


on the M20 because of strike action and immigration issues in Calais, overspill HGVs and cars diverted onto the A20 have caused tailbacks and “gridlock” across the town and villages along the A20 corridor. Cllr Balfour said: “Operation Stack is a nightmare for the people


of Kent who are unable to go about their daily business. Not only does it affect people’s lives, but busi- nesses are suffering and anyone trying to get to Dover for their sum- mer holidays is stuck in miles of tailbacks. “This is an urgent problem that


needs to be dealt with by Govern- ment and Highways England.” The meeting at County Hall fol-


lows growing anger from those af- fected by the continuing traffic chaos, including businesses, coun- cils, police and residents.


MP calls for a solution


MP Helen Whately says ministers must find an alternative to Operation Stack and keep the pressure on the French government to stop strike action causing traffic chaos on this side of the Channel. The MP for Mid Kent asked what talks had been held by secretary of state Theresa May with her French counterparts to avoid a repeat of the disruption and was told by Mike Penning, the minister for policing, that “sub- stantial discussions have taken place between the secretary of state, ministers and their French coun- terparts”. However, MrsWhately (pictured) used the oppor-


tunity to raise the issue of illegal immigrants seiz- ing stowaway opportunities, which led to further delays.


Immigration minister James BrokenshireMP told


her measures were being taken to improve security at the border, includ- ing a £12m investment in fencing in Calais and potential improvements to fences at Coquelles, along with increased use of the British Border Force. MrsWhately said: “We need the French authorities to make sure striking


workers don’t disrupt ferry services. As it is likely strikes will continue dur- ing the summer, I am calling on ministers to keep up the pressure on the French government.” Transport minister Robert Goodwill said therewas an idea to store trucks


on the now disused Manston airfield. He explained that his department’s immediate priority was tackling the queue-jumping that was making the congestion worse.


THE manager of a Harrietsham business on the A20 says his tak- ings are down a massive 25% be- cause of Operation Stack. Patrick Willoughby, from Lee


Davey Caravans, said: “You only have to look in the till to know


Caravan business sees trade fall Diversions as road closed


which days Operation Stackwas in force.” He said nose-to-tail traffic had


forced his customers to give the business a “wide berth” at its busiest time of the year. The company has been selling


MOTORISTS could face more misery when they are forced to avoid Holling- bourne village for three weeks because of work to the sewerage system under the main road. Eyhorne Street, a popular diversion with those trying to avoid Operation


Stack congestion, will be closed from property number 103 from August 10 for up to three weeks. Drivers will be encouraged to use the A249 and other routes to the A20. A spokesman for the Nu-Venture bus company also warned: “This will sever the only bus link to Hollingbourne (bus 13) for three weeks.”


Villages hit by


traffic chaos PARISH councils have joined the call for a solution to Operation Stack and the chaos caused by queuing traffic in their communi- ties.


Bearsted Parish Council wel- comed MP Helen Whately’s sup- port in raising the subject in the Commons and in responding to a letter from their chairman Fiona Redman (see the letter at www.bearstedparishcouncil.co.uk). However, she saidmemberswere


still “very concerned about the plight of Bearsted”, particularly, the lack of signs when the traffic control system is in place and for- eign lorries take themselves off the main roads. Thurnham parish councillors


have also asked for better signs to keep foreign lorries out of vil- lages.


Chairman Daniel Skinner said:


and servicing caravans on the site for people across the whole of the South East since 1948. Mr Willoughby said that there was no redress for businesses. He added: “Our busiest months


are June, July and August, when we get a lot of interest in our cara- vans and accessories such as gas bottles for barbecues and patio burners. “We started off with a record


June and since then we have suf- fered Operation Stack pretty much every week for a couple of days. “We will never be able to get


back this lost trade and there seems to be no one and nowhere for us to get any redress.”


“Even if they gave us diversion signs to put out ourselves, we would happily oblige. Let’s hope they can get some answers and the cash before the end of the year, al- though I imagine when it comes to the county council, it will be about building a large car park some- where.”


Cost to police KENT police and crime com- missionerAnn Barneswants the Government to reimburse the county’s police force for the full costs of policing Operation Stack. The cost of implementing the


traffic management measure on the first four occasions had al- ready exceeded £700,000, with 112 police officers and staff working all hours, she said.


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