downsmail.co.uk


Space to help start-up firms


VACANT space above The Mall shopping centre is to be put to work helping start-up businesses. Initially more than 12,000sqft will


be devoted to the Maidstone Enter- prise Centre, offering flexible work- space and offices. This will extend the service offered by the Enterprise Foundation at its centre in Medvale House, on Mote Road, which it re- ported was almost full in less than 15 months after opening. The centre has been provided by


a collaboration of Capital and Re- gional, which runs The Mall, and the national Enterprise Foundation charity, which will run the service. Keith Powney, the foundation’s


chief executive, said: “There is a need for local businesses to have ac- cess to good quality workspace and offices in a supportive environment. “We look forward to the new cen-


tre being a focus for ongoing entre- preneur and business support project work.” Additional information can be


found on maidstone.enterprise- foundation.net. Businesses interested in moving


to the new Enterprise Centre should email Roy Laming, general manager of the Enterprise Foundation at roy.laming@enterprisefounda- tion.net or by calling 01622 757590.


News


Two sites earmarked to ease Operation Stack


TWOsites have been put forward by Highways England as con- tenders to cope with lorries during Operation Stack. Both are on farmland which


could be linked to the M20 to the north and west of Junction 11, about 300m either side of Stanford. Unlike Manston Airport, the sites will service freight wishing to cross the Dover Straits from the port of Dover and Eurotunnel. Highways England suggests in


its consultation that the park should hold at least 3,600 lorries, al- though this number and theway it would be used is open to public opinion. It makes clear that the exact loca-


tion of the lorry park boundaries are still to be set, and its use could be for emergencies only or perhaps to provide a 24-hour serviced truck stop to alleviate fly-parking in Kent. The Government allocated up to


£250m for such a lorry park and a solution to Operation Stack in No- vember. It is understood a permanent


lorry park would mean Manston Airport would not be required, al-


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though it is expected that when in use, a temporary 40mph-50mph speed limit would need to be im- posed on the coastbound carriage- way of the M20 for safety reasons. Electronic signs would be dis-


played for lorries and other drivers on gantries along the coastbound carriageway, most likely from junc- tion 10 to junction 11a. The public has until midnight on January 25 to comment by email to m20lorryarea@highwaysengland.c o.uk.  Highways England has said metal barriers will be installed at M20 Junction 8, near Holling- bourne, to stop illegal parking by HGVs.


Meanwhile, changes at Dover


Docks are expected to ease traffic flows into the port, which has seen the reconfiguration of transport lanes to accommodate 6km of freight traffic within what is Eu- rope’s biggest ferry terminal. New bays for border control in- spections and a new site entrance have also been introduced as part of the four-year £85m project, part- funded by the European Union.


 On average 10,800 freight vehi- cles (5,400 each way) cross the Dover Straits every day.


 The Port of Dover/Eurotunnel predict freight traffic will double in the next 10 years.


In 2015 Operation Stack was im- plemented on a record 32 days – before that Operation Stack was only instigated an average 8.5 times per year.


 KCC estimates Operation Stack costs the Kent economy about £1.45m per day.


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