Online petition presses for government action to end Operation Stack nightmare

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Online petition presses for government action to end Operation Stack nightmare

County Hall has started an online petition to try and force the Government to act and stop the disruption caused by Operation Stack.

Stack was implemented on Thursday for the third time this year, and again the M20 between junctions 8-9 and 11-12 was turned into a giant lorry park.

Whenever the ports close because of bad weather or industrial action, lorries heading for the Continent are ‘stacked’ on the motorway, causing traffic chaos for residents and tourists trying to use the M20.

Now Kent County Council has launched a petition to persuade Government that “enough is enough”.

County Hall says its proposals for a ‘quick moveable barrier’ are a short-term interim measure which would maintain two-way flow on the northbound carriageway of the M20 between junctions 11 (for Hythe) and 12 (Cheriton) while allowing lorries to be parked on the southbound carriageway.

KCC says that although this is an expensive and short-term option, it is one that could be implemented quickly.

And the council says the Government must accept the responsibility to fund a permanent lorry park for at least 2,000 vehicles - a permanent solution to Operation Stack and a major step to limit the growing problem of illegal lorry parking in Kent.

“Kent has borne the impact of cross-Channel freight traffic for too long, and the problem will only get worse as traffic volumes increase,” said KCC Cabinet Member for Highways Keith Ferrin.

“We are working closely with Dover and the district councils in the Channel corridor, and with the police and the haulage industry, to find a permanent solution.

“But this will take time. We hope that this ‘people’s petition’ will impress upon Government that we need action and that we need it now.”

Ashford Borough Council leader Paul Clokie said: “We welcome and support the petition and call on all residents and businesses to sign it.

“Operation Stack has a negative impact on perceptions of Kent as a location for business and investment and we need to tackle that directly.

“We will continue to work with our colleagues in the Channel Corridor Partnership to identify a comprehensive long term solution.”

The move has also won backing from Dover District Council, Maidstone Borough Council, Shepway District Council and the Channel Corridor Partnership.

You can sign up to the ‘End Stack Now’ petition on KCC’s website at www.kent.gov.uk/news.

POSTED: 19/01/2007 17:18:33

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