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MPs challenge plans to build world's second-largest lorry park MPs challenge plans to build world's second-largest lorry park
(about 13 hours later)
MPs have challenged plans to build the world’s second-largest lorry park to ease road chaos in Kent when cross-Channel freight routes are disrupted.MPs have challenged plans to build the world’s second-largest lorry park to ease road chaos in Kent when cross-Channel freight routes are disrupted.
The Commons transport committee says ministers must do more to justify providing a £250m site for up to 4,000 heavy lorries to wait when bad weather, operating difficulties, strikes, migrant protests at Coquelles, outside Calais, security alerts or bad weather hit ferry or rail services.The Commons transport committee says ministers must do more to justify providing a £250m site for up to 4,000 heavy lorries to wait when bad weather, operating difficulties, strikes, migrant protests at Coquelles, outside Calais, security alerts or bad weather hit ferry or rail services.
Though not ruling on the proposals for a holding area off the M20 put forward by the Department for Transport, the MPs want more evidence that it is “a proportionate and appropriate solution” to the problems caused by Operation Stack, under which Kent police close large stretches of motorway to park freight vehicles bound for the Port of Dover or the Channel tunnel.Though not ruling on the proposals for a holding area off the M20 put forward by the Department for Transport, the MPs want more evidence that it is “a proportionate and appropriate solution” to the problems caused by Operation Stack, under which Kent police close large stretches of motorway to park freight vehicles bound for the Port of Dover or the Channel tunnel.
Such measures were used on 31 days last year, the highest since 2008, and on more consecutive days than usual, causing traffic snarl-ups and protests in towns and villages usually bypassed by the motorway. The government has leased land at the former Manston airport, near Ramsgate, to temporarily serve as a holding area but police and local councillors fear further logjams on the county’s roads.Such measures were used on 31 days last year, the highest since 2008, and on more consecutive days than usual, causing traffic snarl-ups and protests in towns and villages usually bypassed by the motorway. The government has leased land at the former Manston airport, near Ramsgate, to temporarily serve as a holding area but police and local councillors fear further logjams on the county’s roads.
The MPs say other options need to be evaluated including upgrading the M20 and/or the A2 and M2 links to Channel services, moving more freight from road to rail, increasing capacity on ferries and trains, building a network of smaller lorry parks and using technology to better manage queueing.The MPs say other options need to be evaluated including upgrading the M20 and/or the A2 and M2 links to Channel services, moving more freight from road to rail, increasing capacity on ferries and trains, building a network of smaller lorry parks and using technology to better manage queueing.
Louise Ellman, who chairs the committee, said: “The routes to Dover and Folkestone are important nationally – they carry more than 80% of the road freight entering or leaving the UK. The government has settled on a lorry park as the best solution but what they are proposing is on a vast scale and could cost up to quarter of a billion pounds.Louise Ellman, who chairs the committee, said: “The routes to Dover and Folkestone are important nationally – they carry more than 80% of the road freight entering or leaving the UK. The government has settled on a lorry park as the best solution but what they are proposing is on a vast scale and could cost up to quarter of a billion pounds.
“Ministers need to do more in order to justify this spending and it should do more to demonstrate why a lorry park roughly the size of Disneyland in California is better than the alternatives we heard about during our inquiry.”“Ministers need to do more in order to justify this spending and it should do more to demonstrate why a lorry park roughly the size of Disneyland in California is better than the alternatives we heard about during our inquiry.”
The committee’s report suggests sizewise it would be second only to a lorry park in Qatar, and bigger than the currently proposals for Stanford. The parish council there has raised concerns over noise and light pollution and harmful diesel emissions, while residents have also expressed fears over littering, drug-dealing and prostitution. The committee’s report suggests only a lorry park in Qatar would be bigger than that currently proposed for Stanford. The parish council there has raised concerns over noise and light pollution and harmful diesel emissions, while residents have also expressed fears over littering, drug-dealing and prostitution.
Highways England has consulted on long-term plans to solve the problems and is preparing a report for ministers who are expected to announce the next steps “soon”. They have promised further consultation over the Stanford holding area but intend to have a permanent solution in place by summer next year.Highways England has consulted on long-term plans to solve the problems and is preparing a report for ministers who are expected to announce the next steps “soon”. They have promised further consultation over the Stanford holding area but intend to have a permanent solution in place by summer next year.
Costs of Operation Stack to UK freight companies, whose lorries account for only about 15% of vehicles – the rest are foreign owned – and the impact on the local economy in Kent are said to be about £2m a day. A figure of £250m loss a day to the UK economy has been cited by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) and others but is not thought reliable. The government has commissioned research from Transport Systems Catapult and has told MPs it hopes to be able to publish this soon. Costs of Operation Stack to UK freight companies, whose lorries account for only about 15% of vehicles – the rest are foreign owned – and the impact on the local economy in Kent are said to be about £2m a day. A figure of £250m loss a day to the UK economy has been cited by the Freight Transport Association and others but is not thought reliable. The government has commissioned research from Transport Systems Catapult and has told MPs it hopes to be able to publish this soon.
The FTA’s director of policy, Jack Semple, said: “We have a solution for lorries that will resolve the problem. The key point is a holding area that means they don’t get in the way of the Kent economy and the conditions for drivers are reasonable.” The FTA’s head of road network management policy, Malcolm Bingham, said: “We must urgently press ahead with a plan that will protect drivers, their vehicles and the £89bn of trade which passes through this route each year. Additionally, the UK and French governments must work together to ensure that we do not have another summer of discontent with striking workers which was one of the main causes of the chaos we saw in Kent last year.”
The Road Haulage Association’s director of policy, Jack Semple, said: “We have a solution for lorries that will resolve the problem. The key point is a holding area that means they don’t get in the way of the Kent economy and the conditions for drivers are reasonable.”
Operation Stack did not always happen often, he agreed, “but we have to bear in mind that freight volumes through the Dover straits are expected to grow and when it does happen I don’t think people in Kent need reminding about the impact it had on the local economy”.Operation Stack did not always happen often, he agreed, “but we have to bear in mind that freight volumes through the Dover straits are expected to grow and when it does happen I don’t think people in Kent need reminding about the impact it had on the local economy”.
A spokesman for the port of Dover said: “Dealing with the issue of where to hold vehicles delayed by a blockage in the pan-European transport network is crucial to an island nation like ours, and government is absolutely right to take this matter as seriously as it does.A spokesman for the port of Dover said: “Dealing with the issue of where to hold vehicles delayed by a blockage in the pan-European transport network is crucial to an island nation like ours, and government is absolutely right to take this matter as seriously as it does.
“However, with 17% of all the UK’s trade in goods – valued at up to £119bn annually – passing through the port of Dover alone, it’s absolutely crucial we get this right,” the spokesman said. “The port of Dover wholeheartedly agrees with the committee that a project on this scale needs full and careful evaluation.”“However, with 17% of all the UK’s trade in goods – valued at up to £119bn annually – passing through the port of Dover alone, it’s absolutely crucial we get this right,” the spokesman said. “The port of Dover wholeheartedly agrees with the committee that a project on this scale needs full and careful evaluation.”
The Department for Transport said: “We are acutely aware of the impact Operation Stack has on residents and businesses. It is right that we find a permanent solution and we’re determined to keep Kent moving. That is why up to £250m was made available to build a lorry park which could take lorries off the county’s roads in the event of disruption.The Department for Transport said: “We are acutely aware of the impact Operation Stack has on residents and businesses. It is right that we find a permanent solution and we’re determined to keep Kent moving. That is why up to £250m was made available to build a lorry park which could take lorries off the county’s roads in the event of disruption.
“Highways England received more than 1,000 responses to its public consultation on this issue and will announce a decision on the preferred site soon.”“Highways England received more than 1,000 responses to its public consultation on this issue and will announce a decision on the preferred site soon.”
•This article was amended on 1 June 2016. Jack Semple is director of policy at the Road Haulage Association, not the Freight Transport Association. A quote from the FTA received after publication was also added.