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If you run a haulage business providing services between the UK and Europe, you probably had first-hand experience with Operation Stack. This system, put in place 20 years ago, was designed to deal with truck build-up caused by the closure of either one or both of the UK’s main European access points. Problems Caused by Operation Stack The operation was set up by Kent Police and Dover Port to provide a solution for trucks stopped by a service closure by stacking up lorries along the M20. In extreme situations, up to 5000 vehicles involved in haulage work can be parked along the motorway, which can cause severe congestion along the A20 and other routes as the road is closed to normal traffic. Until 2007 the scheme had been implemented 95 times, closing the motorway for a total of 145 days. Since 2007 it has been used less frequently – though, following industrial disputes in French Channel ports, the M20 to the coast was closed for 24 out of 40 days in 2015 between June and July. Apart from the disruption caused to schedules and driver work hours, the Freight Transport Association estimates that a single day’s implementation of Operation Stack costs hauliers some £700,000 a day and £250m overall to the United Kingdom’s economy. A Solution in Sight Finally, after years of controversy and debate, there may be a solution in sight that will make the delays to haulage work a thing of the past. Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborn, has earmarked some £250 million to build new HGV parking facilities in Kent - facilities that would eliminate the need for Operation Stack and improve life on the road for both motorists and lorry drivers. Choosing the Site A number of sites are being considered for the construction of this lorry park, with the FTA saying that a site in Stanton West would be the best choice. This specific site is close to the M20, Dover and the Eurotunnel making it easier to direct and release HGV’s. Natalie Chapman, FTA’s Head of Policy for London and the South East, has said that this site could hold up to 3,600 lorries. She also labelled another proposed site (Stanford North) as unsuitable, given it would cause serious traffic congestion for local traffic. As a stop-gap solution, plans are being considered to use land in Folkestone, owned by the Ministry of Defence, as a temporary parking area. This should relieve pressure on the M20 until a final solution is implemented. Waiting for the “Super Parking Lot” It is unclear how long it will take to plan and construct a new “super parking lot” for trucks doing haulage work to and from Europe – but at least a solution to miles and miles of trucks parked on the M20 is on the horizon. Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching haulage work with available drivers. Over 4,000 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.
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