Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I received this from Charlie and because the gridlock affects almost everyone in Dover, I have put it on here, rather than the Politics Forum.
"Last week I held a debate in Parliament on the problems of Dover gridlock. I called for the port, ferry companies and Government to take responsibility and work with our community to find a lasting solution.
Dover suffers traffic gridlock on a weekly basis. People sit in traffic for hours struggling to get home. Dover businesses lose trade because customers can't reach their premises. Emergency vehicles can't get to those in need. And large parts of the roadside on the A20 have become dumping grounds for litter (and worse) left by HGV drivers stuck in tailbacks.
Why? The Port of Dover handled record freight in 2014 - up 10% on the last year. And it's expected to grow further. There are not enough spaces for lorries to park. Ferry check in systems are antiquated and frequently fail. The seas can be rough, Calais workers like to go on strike and ferries are sometimes run aground or into the harbour wall.
When there are problems, the Police, Port and the Highways Agency are often too slow and ill-equipped to tackle problems when they arise. High volumes of Port traffic just plough into the middle of Dover, whether the Port is ready to take them or not. This creates gridlock - now happening on a weekly basis.
When there are problems at the port, it's always the people of Dover who pay the price. That must change.
I called for the traffic problems in Kent and Dover to be made a national strategic priority by Ministers. Tailbacks not only make life a misery for local people - they hamper national trade and prosperity. The Government should lead the way in finding a long-term infrastructure solution.
A dedicated lorry park for the advance check-in of lorries before they arrive at Dover is badly needed. The best location for a 1,000 space site is near Folkestone on the M20. The Government should fund for this through revenue from the HGV Road User Levy, while the Port and ferry companies should contribute.
The A20 should be made a clearway, as well as box junctions at all roundabouts and road junctions in Dover. This will ensure no parking or stopping is allowed and ease road access in Dover - particularly for long suffering Aycliffe.
The Roads Minister, John Hayes, responded very positively. He said our community should not be inconvenienced and the Government will address the problem. He said he would support Kent County Council in making the A20 a clearway. The Government is prepared to make funding available for lorry parks and improved IT systems to deal with traffic volumes. These proposals will be set out in detail before the end of the month.
When there are problems at the port, it is wrong the town should suffer in gridlock. I am doing all I can to see a lasting solution is delivered for our community.
Best wishes
Charlie"
Roger
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
This is wonderful news isn't it. Well done Charlie for telling them like it is and insisting that something is done. If anyone can get some action on the continuing misery of gridlock then it's Charlie Elphick.
I do feel sorry for the residents of Ayecliff particularly, but the whole of the town is affected too.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,835
"The A20 should be made a clearway, as well as box junctions at all roundabouts and road junctions in Dover. This will ensure no parking or stopping is allowed and ease road access in Dover - particularly for long suffering Aycliffe."
This is pure common sense, something that will not cost a fortune to do and could also be implemented straight away. Lorries restricted to one lane would also help cars and all local traffic.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Absolutely agree Jacqui and Jan.
This problem does affect an awful lot of local people, so they should get behind it, politics shouldn't really be brought into it.
Roger
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Charlie is .to be commended
Guest 1103- Registered: 3 Nov 2013
- Posts: 759
well it is silly driving all the way to capel to get back into Dover as everything is coned off and then find yourself back in heavy traffic again. Last time I have spent nealry 3 hrs in traffic .. Should of walked I probably be faster ...but that is not the point.
So any action is appreciated.
Thanks :D
Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud. Maya Angelou ☺🌈🌄🌌🌏🌍🌎
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Cannot disagree with what Charlie has said, why has he left it nearly five years to say it is my only complaint.
Audere est facere.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I think really Martin, it's just been getting worse and has now reached the point where something MUST be done.
Roger
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
Let's give credit where credit's due ,the majority of the ground work & proposals with exception of lorry park location are Nigel Collor's work. He still continues to be direct link to ALL agencies pushing them continuously. His last session was late Friday afternoon working away at the measures ready for Passport control changes.
Guest 715- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 2,438
Roger Walkden wrote:I think really Martin, it's just been getting worse and has now reached the point where something MUST be done.
Roger
It has been going on for years Roger, every problem with the check ins ferry problem etc impacts Dover as the queue inevitably goes back to Aycliffe , not the County but just Dover in most cases. The difference now is a the impending passport checks and for a lot of the time queues will be the norm, chaos looms until somehow a solution is found and in place.
Audere est facere.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
I note that charlies statement looks positive etc,but the A20 has sufferd for at least 20 years,more so in the last 5 years.action should be taken on faster and get things operationl sooner rather than later.
one bank holiday weekend resulted in traffic being at a standstill for 36 hours,a combination of avents on that particular weekend.some lorrys where marked up12 hours in and where still in the same place 18 hours later..
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
I have been using the port at least once a week for the past 11 years and it has never been so consistantly bad as in the past 9 months.
The Harbour board proposed demolishing several unused building several years age to increase lorry parking within the port. The idea being that if the entire contents of one ferry were held within the port as well as those parked in lanes,then traffic could be parked before Aycliffe on the A20 and released as space became available.
Guest 1266- Registered: 8 May 2014
- Posts: 381
Kent Online covered this a couple of weeks ago with a poll - majority of people thought a lorry park would not help.
Jack of Hearts
Guest 1348- Registered: 20 Sep 2014
- Posts: 276
Instead of it being a lorry park make it a staging area for all the port traffic, so that anything arriving goes there and only released when the port is ready.
Guest 977- Registered: 27 Jun 2013
- Posts: 1,031
If any other business was operating in a way that continually blocked the major highways they would be told in no uncertain terms to get it sorted or stop.
So here's a radical solution that could be implemented immediately - cut the number of ferry sailings to the amount of traffic that can be handled by the current port infrastructure.
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Darren we totally agree, Ray the port infrastructure can cope under normal circumstances and usually does. Its the times things are not normal eg strikes in Calais adverse weather etc that things go awry.
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,835
The big problem is nobody in authority has the sense to act quickly, they wait and hesitate until there is such a build up that it takes hours if not days to sort the mess out.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Watkins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 9 Nov 2011
- Posts: 2,226
You sum up the predicament accurately Jan.
From the time the Port notify the police & highways agency to implementation of traffic management matters can be as much as twelve hours -as in the case of the last major shutdown.
The police are always reluctant to act because of the manpower obligations & the highways agency are reluctant to take responsibility.
That is the major discussion point taking place at present, without that resolution matters could continue as before.
The holding of freight traffic back beyond Aycliffe & the single lane are likely to be resolved soon if the info from Nigel Collor is correct.
Let's hope.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
much prefer it to be held back just before courtwood interchange.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352