Dover, Kent: An updated version of Operation Brock to limit delays along the M20 caused by disruption at the channel ports is planned.
Highways England proposes a moveable concrete barrier that can be set up within hours and can be used flexibly on any stretch of the motorway.
But the government has at the same abandoned the search for a permanent lorry park saying the moveable barrier will enable it to keep traffic moving and there will be no need to divert lorries from motorways.
The plan is described as “promising” by the Freight Transport Association. Heidi Skinner, policy manager, FTA, said: “No operator wants to be stuck in slow moving or stationary traffic, and today’s announcement will come as a welcome respite for those concerned about the impact of potential delays on the UK’s supply chain from the Continent, as well as on businesses and residents in Kent.
“However, there is more to be done to ensure that the new system will work in the best way possible and manage the congestion any form of cross-Channel disruption can cause, and we look forward to working with Highways England and DfT on this.”
Unite, the truck drivers’ union has slated the proposals ignoring the welfare needs of lorry drivers. Unite has been seeking answers for over a year to drivers’ concerns about the lack of welfare provisions if there is major disruption on the roads towards Dover, either as a result of the introduction of customs checks or industrial action.
A Freedom of Information request to the Department for Transport eventually gained the admission: “In the event of severe traffic disruption, the Kent Resilience Forum will make an operational decision on whether to deploy portable toilets on the M20 Junctions 8-9 coastbound and on both sides of the M26.”
Unite national officer Adrian Jones said: “For over a year Unite has been trying to get information from the government about its plans for major disruption at the port of Dover and its measures to ensure drivers’ welfare. “There is no provision for even the most basic welfare provision in the government’s scheme. The delivery of a few portaloos as an afterthought is simply not good enough.
“If a problem arises on the roads to Dover not only is there no welfare provision but drivers have no idea how long disruption will last, making it almost impossible to abide by driving regulations.
“Unite is also concerned that previous plans to have a specific lorry park at Manston, which could have provided drivers with a safer facility and proper welfare provisions, has apparently been dropped.
“The government has once again failed to consult with drivers before introducing these measures. The health, welfare and safety of drivers who will be most affected by future disruptions have been ignored or forgotten.”
Kent MPs and council leaders also want to see a lorry park to be used if channel crossings are disrupted by weather or other events.
It is not the first time that a barrier has been used in Kent. A removeable barrier was tested on the M20 in 2008. The DfT said: “The new technology will be designed to ensure that the M20 is kept open at times of disruption, whilst also allowing the motorway to retain three lanes, a hard shoulder and 70mph speed limits in both directions during normal traffic conditions.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This state-of-the-art technology can be deployed quickly, simply and safely, ensuring motorists across the county can get to where they need to be with minimum fuss, whatever the circumstances.”
The new barrier is expected to be in place by the end of the year. The DfT confirmed the scheme meant the search for a permanent lorry park had now ended – five years after the government announced it was earmarking £250m to create one capable of holding several thousand trucks in the event of prolonged disruption.
The search for a site was abruptly halted when the government withdrew its proposal for a site off the M20 at Stanford, near Folkestone before a legal challenge brought by campaigners.
The announcement may mean that Manston Airport could be stood down as an emergency holding area for trucks. It has been placed on standby as part of contingency plans in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The DfT has a contract with the owners that has several months to run.
