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FM SAYS: KENT 'A DUMPING GROUND FOR TOO LONG' GORDON
Page 10
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TELLING, the Freight Transport Association's head of policy for London, the South Fast and the East of England, says: "For too long the Highways Agency [HA] has regarded the network in Kent as a dumping ground where trucks can be hidden away in times of crisis at the ports. Given the forecast growth at Dover over the next 10 years, it is high time the DfT and the HA took a strategic look at Kent's roads, which are a vital artery for goods coming into the UK as well as for exports.
"That strategic approach would be considering the needs not lust of Operation Stack, but also of local development such as East Kent and the Thames Gateway. As traffic volumes grow, the best solution is for the HA to end the uncertainty about a f it-forpurpose truck park that can service both Operation Stack and regular drivers' rest needs, keeping Kent's roads free for Kent residents and businesses."
Telling adds: "Arguments about cost should be overcome rather than used as a reason for inaction. This announcement is welcome insofar as it will improve safety and have a beneficial impact on traffic flow on some occasions. However, it must not be a smokescreen to hide the issue of truck parking."