Final week of Operation Stack lorry area consultation
A Highways England consultation on proposals for a major new lorry area to help improve Operation Stack ends next Monday (25 January).
Proposals for a major new lorry area that would help improve Kent’s resilience when services across the English Channel are disrupted were announced on Friday 11 December 2015. A consultation seeking public views continues until midnight on Monday 25 January.
Two potential sites near the M20 have been identified for the lorry area, along with four broad ways it could be used. Each option could help to prevent the need for the M20 to be closed when there is disruption to cross-channel services.
Anyone with an interest, including lorry drivers who may end up using the site, is urged by Highways England to submit their views ahead of the consultation closing.
Highways England Asset Manager for Kent, Kevin Bown said:
We’ve received a lot of responses to the consultation already but we’ve still got one week left and we would like to hear from as many people as possible. I strongly urge anyone with a view on the plans to have their say as part of the consultation, which can be completed by our online response form, by email or by post.
The proposed sites for the lorry area are both near junction 11 of the M20 near Stanford and can be easily accessed from the motorway. Their location would mean that they could potentially be used to help manage any disruption affecting either the Port of Dover or EuroTunnel services.
The possible uses of the site could range from emergency use only to providing truck stop facilities 24 hours a day.
The two potential sites for the lorry area.
The consultation asks for views on the suitability of each of the proposed sites, and on how the lorry area should be operated. The consultation materials are available on our webpage.
General enquiries
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Media enquiries
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.