Proposed Lorry Park

JOINT TRANSPORTATION BOARD 02 SEPTEMBER 2008

Subject: Proposed Lorry Park

Director/Head of Service: The Director of Kent Highway Services

Decision Issues: These matters are within the authority of the Board

Decision: Non-key

Ward/Division: All

Summary: This report updates Members on the identified schemes approved for construction in 2008/09.

To Recommend: This report is for Members’ information.

Classification: THIS REPORT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


Introduction

1. Operation Stack is invoked when Channel Ferry or Channel Tunnel
crossings are disrupted, generally because of inclement weather or
industrial action. This can happen between 8 and 12 times a year, closing
long stretches of the M20 to local traffic so that lorries bound for the port
can be parked on the motorway.

2. To date only two phases of Stack have been used:

Phase 1

Channel-bound lorries are parked on the M20 coast bound carriageway
between Junctions 11 (Hythe) and 12 (Cheriton) while other traffic is
diverted along the A20 via Junction 11. Capacity for holding around
800 lorries

Phase 2

When the M20 between junctions 11 and 12 becomes full, the coast
bound carriageway between Junctions 8 (Maidstone) and 9 (Ashford) is
also closed for lorry parking. Capacity for another 3,200 lorries.

3. The effects of Stack cause severe delays on the M20 as the Police take all
traffic off at M20 Junction 11, Stanford (Phase 1) and/or Junction 8,
Hollingbourne (Phase2). When Phase 2 is in operation, queues can
stretch back beyond M20 Junction 6 which causes total disruption in
Maidstone, the Medway Towns and beyond.

4. Congestion is also caused on the adjacent stretches of A20 which act as
the diversionary routes when Stack is called. Severe congestion on the
A20 causes further diversions onto more unsuitable roads.

5. This disruption caused by Operation Stack as well as significantly
inconveniencing the community has an adverse impact on the local and
national economies. This is because much of the national trade with
Continental Europe passes through Kent. This therefore is seen a national
problem and the County Council have been pressing the Government to
resolve the issue.

Discussion

6. With no other options on the table and given the effects on Kent’s
economy and communities of Operation Stack and overnight HGV parking
on local roads the County Council decided that to undertake work on
finding a permanent solution. Working with other agencies a study was
carried out which found that there was a need for a lorry park in Kent and
that it should be dual purpose. As well as providing secure overnight
parking it should be available in the event of Operation Stack. The Freight
Transport Association supports this proposal. The County Council agreed
with the Department for Transport that it would identify a preferred site.

7. The severe shortage of suitable secure overnight parking facilities means
that drivers are forced to stop in unsuitable places such as lay-bys,
business estates and some near to residential properties. This leads to
inconvenience to local communities and environmental problems. This is
particularly evident in Dover and Ashford and to a lesser extent in
Shepway.

8. In order for the lorry park to provide an effective and workable alternative
to Operation Stack, it has to be along the M20 corridor and fairly close to
the Channel crossings. A number of sites were explored before reaching a
decision about a preferred location. The preferred site is between junctions
10 & 11 on the south side of the M20 between Sellindge and Aldington.

9. The site, which covers more than 70 acres, was chosen for its good
connectivity and proximity to the Channel Tunnel and Dover Docks and
because it is isolated from built-up areas. The site is very close to the M20
keeping access roads to a minimum and therefore reducing the impact on
the local environment. It is also shielded from view by the Sellindge
Converter Station to the east, the M20 to the north, a railway embankment
to the south and woodland to the west. There are no planning designations
such as AONB or Special Landscape Area applied to this area.

10. The access to the site is proposed to be via on and off slip roads to and
from the M20 on both east and west bound carriageways. The site will link
to the eastbound carriageway via an overbridge or a tunnel if ground
conditions permit. The site will not have access on to the A20.

11. The proposed site will provide 500 secure overnight parking spaces for
HGVs and an overflow area for up to 2,500 additional HGVs during
Operation Stack. The site will have appropriate security, a properly laid out
parking area for HGVs, a canteen providing refreshments, toilets, showers
and fuel. The remainder of the site will be kept as green as possible and
extensive and sympathetic landscaping will be used to further reduce the
visual impact.

12. The County Council’s approach has been that the cost of building a lorry
park should not fall on Kent’s tax payers. Currently 75% of the lorries
crossing the Channel are foreign registered and enjoy cheaper costs than
UK firms. The best way to generate the capital to build and run the site is
by introducing a vignette system of charges on HGVs entering the country,
similar to systems already operating in Austria and Switzerland, we have
proposed this to the Government. UK hauliers could be rebated by a
corresponding reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty.

13. This would mean that overnight HGV parking would be free at the lorry
park, encouraging HGV drivers to use it. The current cost a night to park
on a licensed site is around £20. The proposal means that there will be no
excuse for HGV drivers to park on local roads overnight. At the same time
HGV parking ban on local roads can be effectively enforced and there
should see an end to lorries parking on verges and lay-bys in many parts
of the county. Two further secure overnight lorry parks are also being
proposed; one along the M2 corridor and the second along the M25.

14. The Highways Agency is to introduce a moveable barrier, known as the
Quick Movable Barrier (QMB), to help manage the traffic in Phase 1 of
Operation Stack later this year. This allows a continuous barrier to be
placed in the middle of the M20 London-bound carriageway to allow non
cross-Channel lorry traffic to proceed down the M20 towards Dover in
contraflow in one lane on the London-bound carriageway, while London –
bound traffic proceeds in two lanes.

15. The performance of the QMB will be closely monitored and it will be
particularly crucial how fast it can be put into operation. However, the
proposed QMB will only cover Phase 1 of Stack (ie parking around 800
lorries) and the two-week long disruption earlier this year required Phase 2
for the vast majority of the time. The Police will still bring all traffic off the
M20 at Junction 11 so delays on the M20 will continue, but the effects of
diversions onto the A20 should be reduced. The QMB will not contribute to
a solution to the Overnight Lorry Parking problem.

16. The proposed Lorry Park is at an early stage of development and much
detailed work remains to be done before the submission of a planning
application, later next year. This includes the preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement, requiring a number of environmental
surveys. On the proposal reaching appropriate level of development we
will engage with the community and stakeholder organisations for their
view as part of the formal consultation process.


Behdad Haratbar
Head of Countywide Improvements
Kent Highway Services