A former Kent airport is to be used as a temporary truck park in a bid to reduce M20 congestion caused by the disruption in Calais.
Yesterday the DfT released a statement which said it had reached an agreement with the owners of Manston Airfield in East Kent for Highways England, Kent Police and Kent County Council to use the land to ease the delays caused by Operation Stack.
Transport minister Lord Ahmad said: “We have found a viable short-term solution to the disruption residents and industry in the M20 corridor from Dover to Maidstone have been experiencing in recent weeks as a result of Operation Stack.
“By using Manston Airfield we have secured an interim solution while we work to find a longer term resolution, which meets the needs of the whole of Kent and of course the interests of British industry.”
The statement said that freight will be directed where to go by officials when "the diversion is in place".
As part of the new measures, the DfT said it would prioritise getting certain types of freight through the queue to the port, and will divert them straght past Operation Stack.
These include livestock; fresh meat and fish; class 1 explosives and class 7 radioactive materials, materials for critical care including emergency medicines and items “critical for humanitarian need and welfare of the nation”.
The FTA welcomed the prioritising measures, which are anticipated to see around 200 vehicles fast-tracked to the port every day that Operation Stack is in place.The trade association expressed its concern earlier this week that products such as live fish being transported from Scotland could "perish" if left to wait in queues for multiple hours.
Chris MacRae, FTA’s head of policy for scotland, said: “FTA was involved in emergency calls with the Scottish Government in an effort to resolve this issue. Valuable cargoes of lobsters and fish were being held up in queues – this can’t be allowed to happen.
"The new scheme is a sensible measure to ensure that loads aren’t spoiled and ‘quick to market goods’ are prioritised.”
The trade association added that it was pleased with the truck parking strategy, after it predicted the disruption could be costing the industry up to £750,000 a day, but said a long-term solution is still desperately needed.
James Hookham, FTA deputy chief executive, said: “Anything that relieves pressure on the M20 and surrounding roads is to be welcomed, especially at the busiest time of year for freight and tourist traffic.
“However, this is part of a much bigger issue encompassing the ongoing unrest in Calais and the overall lack of rest facilities for drivers in Kent. We would urge the government to continue to work with their French counterparts to address the migrant crisis and also to address the need for more truck stops so drivers can take their rests in safety and with decent facilities.”
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