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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/28/emergency-measures-on-kent-roads-to-combat-channel-tunnel-gridlock
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| Emergency measures back on Kent roads to fight Channel tunnel gridlock | Emergency measures back on Kent roads to fight Channel tunnel gridlock |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Kent police have reintroduced emergency motorway measures to combat gridlock on the county’s roads because of disruption in Calais involving “migrant activity” at the entrance of the Channel tunnel. | |
| Related: Operation Stack: when disrupted Channel crossings lead to extreme traffic control | Related: Operation Stack: when disrupted Channel crossings lead to extreme traffic control |
| HGVs heading for the continent have begun queueing on the M20, with junctions eight to nine closed to non-freight traffic. | HGVs heading for the continent have begun queueing on the M20, with junctions eight to nine closed to non-freight traffic. |
| Trains were disrupted with waiting times of up to an hour after an incident in the terminal, Eurotunnel said. | Trains were disrupted with waiting times of up to an hour after an incident in the terminal, Eurotunnel said. |
| A police spokesman said Operation Stack was back in place because of continued disruption in Calais and the large numbers of lorries heading towards Dover. | A police spokesman said Operation Stack was back in place because of continued disruption in Calais and the large numbers of lorries heading towards Dover. |
| #OpStack has now been put in place between junctions 8 - 9 coastbound on the #M20 due to high volumes of freight traffic. | #OpStack has now been put in place between junctions 8 - 9 coastbound on the #M20 due to high volumes of freight traffic. |
| “Motorists are advised to plan their journeys carefully and allow plenty of extra time if travelling towards the east of the county,” Kent police said in a statement. | “Motorists are advised to plan their journeys carefully and allow plenty of extra time if travelling towards the east of the county,” Kent police said in a statement. |
| The port of Dover said P&O was still operating full services to Calais and DFDS Seaways to Dunkirk. In a statement, it said: “The port and the ferry operators are together working hard to serve all customers travelling to and from the continent. We apologise for any delays or inconvenience as a result of traffic congestion.” | The port of Dover said P&O was still operating full services to Calais and DFDS Seaways to Dunkirk. In a statement, it said: “The port and the ferry operators are together working hard to serve all customers travelling to and from the continent. We apologise for any delays or inconvenience as a result of traffic congestion.” |
| Natalie Chapman, the Freight Transport Association’s head of policy in the south-east, said the continued use of Operation Stack had a “devastating impact on local businesses and communities”. | Natalie Chapman, the Freight Transport Association’s head of policy in the south-east, said the continued use of Operation Stack had a “devastating impact on local businesses and communities”. |
| She said: “Ideally we need a long-term answer to Operation Stack, but short-term we need a solution – and we need it now. | She said: “Ideally we need a long-term answer to Operation Stack, but short-term we need a solution – and we need it now. |
| “This is the busiest time of the year for tourists and freight traffic heading through the county of Kent, and we have to find some way of resolving this reoccurring problem.” | “This is the busiest time of the year for tourists and freight traffic heading through the county of Kent, and we have to find some way of resolving this reoccurring problem.” |
| On Monday, Highways England rejected the FTA’s proposal for a contraflow system on the M20 to ease gridlock, saying it would present a significant and unacceptable safety risk to those required to work on it. | On Monday, Highways England rejected the FTA’s proposal for a contraflow system on the M20 to ease gridlock, saying it would present a significant and unacceptable safety risk to those required to work on it. |
| Matthew Balfour, Kent county council’s cabinet member for transport, said the chaos was costing the local economy £1.5m a day. “All the roads in east Kent get completely blocked up so people can’t go to the shops, they can’t get to the doctor, the hospital,” he told the BBC. | Matthew Balfour, Kent county council’s cabinet member for transport, said the chaos was costing the local economy £1.5m a day. “All the roads in east Kent get completely blocked up so people can’t go to the shops, they can’t get to the doctor, the hospital,” he told the BBC. |
| “They can’t pick up their children, queues are endless and it’s really insufferable. And it means that people who run shops in the towns and the villages don’t get their trade because people stay at home.” | “They can’t pick up their children, queues are endless and it’s really insufferable. And it means that people who run shops in the towns and the villages don’t get their trade because people stay at home.” |