On Wednesday 25th June Helen Whately wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, to ask for a meeting to discuss “Operation Stack”. Helen is asking for an update on plans to build a lorry park and for a better approach to managing the impact of further strikes in Calais during the summer. The timing of her letter was triggered by the strikes in Calais last week, which resulted in closure of the M20 for three days between Junction 8 and Junction 9, causing enormous disruption in Mid Kent.
In the letter Helen, who was elected MP for Faversham & Mid Kent in May, explained the inconvenience the strike action was causing local businesses and residents:
‘Residents of my constituency have had their travel seriously disrupted and a number of constituents have voiced their concerns about problems with Operation Stack, Phase One of which lasted for 36 hours. As I write, Phase Two is still in place, with the coastbound M20 closed between Hollingbourne and Ashford.’
Helen then asked the Secretary of State if he would meet with her to discuss how to reduce disruption to Kent commuters, following reports that the strikes could continue through the summer. She added,
‘I would particularly like to discuss progress on plans to create a lorry park as an alternative to parking up lorries on the motorway when there are delays to channel crossings.’
Helen said ‘I know people have been talking about a solution to Operation Stack for years. In January the Prime Minister committed £3 million of the Local Growth Fund towards investigating new lorry parking capacity in the M20 corridor to ease the disruption caused by Operation Stack. The Prime Minister acknowledged that more needs to be done because Kent continues to pay the price of Operation Stack. A potential site has been identified by Kent County Council in Westenhanger, near Folkestone. It’s high time we got this sorted out, as it is enormously frustrating for residents and damaging to local businesses.'
Photo caption: Helen is briefed by Kent Police on Operation Stack
