NEWS\\\


M20 lorry park plan cancelled


The Government has dropped a controversial plan for a lorry ‘stacking’ area off the M20 near Dover, aſter companies affected by the scheme requested a judicial review, which was scheduled to be held on 6-7 December. Any future plans for such areas would be subject to a full environmental assessment, it added. In a letter to Knights Solicitors,


which has been acted for local company G Forge, whose property abuts the southern part of the site, the government’s legal department said: “Following considerable discussion and extensive consultation my client has decided to withdraw the decision announcement of 6 July 2016, relating to the proposed lorry area at Stanford West, which is the subject of these judicial review proceedings….Consideration of any future lorry areas will include a full Environmental Impact Assessment.” The letter added that, “given


the importance of this matter a number of government departments have been consulted regarding the withdrawal of the decision. This has necessarily taken some time, but I am pleased to report that there is now a settled position.” Highways England and the Department for Transport had been accused of dragging their feet on a decision, with affected firms unable to ascertain what the situation was, according to Knights. Earlier, in an interview with FBJ,


partner Matthew Knight said that his client was not opposed to the lorry park scheme, subject to the agreed terms and modifications being met and that “it would be a pity” if the plan did not in fact go ahead.


In a statement, Highways


England said it would take “a fresh look at options for holding large numbers of lorries at a site near the M20, and an interim


Evergreen is teaming up with COSCO and Yang Ming


solution that would hold freight traffic on the M20 while keeping the motorway open in both directions for other vehicles.” Highways England project


director John Kerner said that since summer 2015’s disruption, “improvements at the port, and changes we have made to traffic management on the A20 near Dover have delivered real improvements and have also helped prevent Operation Stack from being implemented. Along with our partners we are better prepared than ever, but a better plan for dealing with more widespread disruption is still needed.” The agency said that possible


options could include holding HGVs


in the centre of the


motorway rather than on the coastbound carriageway, using steel barriers or movable barrier systems. A decision on which interim


scheme will be taken forward will be made in early 2018, with delivery completed by March 2019. The Transport Secretary has also tasked Highways England with developing a


permanent alternative to


Operation Stack, incorporating a lorry park, through the normal planning process, including a full Environmental Impact Assessment. The agency intends to consult


on the options in early 2018 with a view to submitting a planning application in 2019. Since 2015, Highways England


has installed new traffic lights and lane control at the end of the A20 dual carriageway on approach to Dover as part of the Dover TAP scheme. It said this had helped to prevent Operation Stack being called on at


least


six occasions. Improvements to holding capacity made in the Port of Dover and at Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal have also had a positive effect.


Four-ship service to the Med Line


(YML) to create a new joint North Europe – Mediterranean service. The Europe – Med Express (EMX) will use four 4,250teu ships - one provided by Evergreen and YML and three by COSCO. Port rotation is Felixstowe to Casablanca, Piraeus, Alexandria,


Haifa, Mersin and returning via Piraeus and Casablanca to north Europe. It gives Evergreen a direct


connection from North Europe to the Mediterranean, particularly to and from Morocco, Turkey, Israel and Egypt and is open to all types of cargo, including reefers and special containers.


Irish Ferries


is also planning in cr eas ed


capacity and greater frequency in autumn and winter on the Dublin – Holyhead route. The improvements will follow


the arrival in mid-2018 of Irish Ferries’ new 55,000-tonne WB Yeats currently being built in Flensburg, Germany. On the Dublin–Cherbourg route,


Issue 8 2017 - Freight Business Journal


Irish Ferries to launch new ship >> 1


passengers. From mid-September the WB


the WB Yeats will operate up to four return sailings a week for the summer season. Scheduled services from Rosslare to the French ports of Cherbourg and Roscoff - operated by the Oscar Wilde – will also see an increase in summertime departures. In the off-peak winter season, the Epsilon will replace the WB Yeats providing a year–round service from Dublin to the Continent for freight and


Yeats will transfer to the Dublin- Holyhead route to take up service alongside the existing Ulysses, the world’s largest car ferry when introduced in 2001. The Dublin Swiſt fast ferry will


operate a summer only schedule next year and then return to Irish Sea service in early April 2019. An Irish Ferries spokesman


denied that introduction of a service between Dublin and


3


the Continent was in any way connected with fears over the UK leaving the EU and creating difficulties for traffic using the landbridge route to the Continent. “At no point in the preparation of this announcement did we hear any reference or concerns being expressed in relation to Brexit. In fact, the introduction of the new vessel will see an expansion in Irish Ferries’ capacities on the company’s prime Ireland-UK route between Dublin and Holyhead.”


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