Kent calls for urgent response to port chaos

25/07/2022 | CHRIS MAHONY

Kent County Council and its local partners have called for an urgent national response to the chaos and delays approaching the Port of Dover after distributing water and food to those affected through the weekend.

Toby Howe, tactical lead for the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) and the county council’s highways lead, warned that next weekend is again likely to see thousands of holidaymakers and truckers queueing for hours to cross the channel.

He said: ‘We have a traffic management plan where we can control freight, in particular, to enable traffic to get to the Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover. The trouble is, it is on a knife edge. It takes very little to disrupt that plan.’

Local authorities and transport bodies urged the Government to increase investment in the ‘fragile’ infrastructure in Dover, saying that minor issues could ‘expand the chaos’.

Kent CC instigated its business continuity plan early last week in anticipation of problems. It includes:

  • Residential care services reviewing staffing rotas to ensure a safe level of service while minimising staff travel
  • A review of delivery of food, medicines and waste collection services
  • Reallocating staff where necessary.

County council staff coordinated KRF partners in distributing food and water to the thousands of people stuck in queues.

The KRF lead for driver welfare, Kent CC manager Andy Jeffery, said ‘With drivers facing such significant delays overnight, it was important to deliver supplies to make sure people were safe and well.’

He added: ‘In characteristic Kent style everyone is pulling together, and I cannot thank our team enough for their help and support.’

There are safety concerns about such work however.

However, the leader of Dover DC, Cllr Trevor Bartlett, said there was ‘dismay, desperation and anger’ in the town – which was ‘gridlocked on the first day of the summer getaway’.

He said: ‘I wrote to the Kent Resilience Forum three weeks ago to express my concerns and to call for a more proactive approach to keep Dover clear. Those calls were not heeded.

‘Hours of planning by the Kent Resilience Forum for the busiest weekend of the year for cross-Channel travel have gone out of the window within hours, with the Port of Dover calling a critical incident.

‘Residents can’t get to work, children are stranded on school buses stuck in the mayhem and businesses are suffering. Stagecoach has suspended bus services in Dover altogether.

Neither Kent CC nor the resilience forum responded to his comments.

This article first appeared on themj.co.uk.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Principal Transport Planner (Strategy)

£46,731-£49,764
We are looking for an experienced professional to join North Northamptonshire Council as a Principal Transport Planner (Strategy). Sheerness House, 41 Meadow Road, Kettering moving to Haylock House, Kettering Parkway, Kettering NN15 6EY, United Kingdom
Recruiter: North Northamptonshire Council

Highways Capital Delivery Manager

£50,788 - £52,805
To be responsible for the implementation of Welsh Government’s Renewal and Upgrade programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer x 2

£47,532 –£55,620 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Electrical Design Engineer

Grade 9 £34,314 to £37,938 - Grade 10 £37,035 to £40,476 - Grade 11 £39,513 to £43,693 - Grade 12 £42,708 to £46,731 p.a.
The Construction Consultancy Services (CCS) team provide client-side construction consultancy services across a range of professional disciplines to d Durham
Recruiter: Durham County Council

Park Operations Assistant - Thorndon Country Park

Up to £12540.50 per annum
This is a permanent, part time position on an annualised hours contract. This means you will be contracted to work a minimum of 964.59 hours per yea England, Essex, Brentwood
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Highways Engineer

£50,754 – £53,607 per annum
Our people are deeply committed to providing excellent services to our residents, doing all we can to make lives as good as they can be. Hounslow (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Hounslow London Borough Council

Highways Capital Lead

£47,754 - £50,788
To be responsible for management of the Regional Highway Capital Delivery Teams South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Development Management Engineer

£37,938 - £44,711
In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce Coventry, West Midlands
Recruiter: Coventry City Council

Head of Highways

£66,366 - £85,284 pa
Highway Operations is a large division within the Planning, Growth & Infrastructure. Enfield (City/Town), London (Greater)
Recruiter: Enfield London Borough Council

Director Highways, Transport & Waste Management

up to £120k
There for Nottinghamshire. There for each other. There for you. Nottinghamshire
Recruiter: Nottinghamshire County Council

Director of Highways and Transportation

£126,909
We’re seeking a dynamic and innovative leader to spearhead our Highways and Transportation services. Essex
Recruiter: Essex County Council

Senior Structures Technician

£32,654 - £36,124 plus circa £2000 - £4000 OT (variable
To lead on the planning, delivery and reporting of the highway structures General Inspection programme. Baglan, Port Talbot
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Assistant Director of Place Operations

£85,962 to £93,267
Bury is a proud and prosperous borough Bury, Greater Manchester
Recruiter: Bury Council

Career Grade Transport Planner (Carer Grade 6-8)

Grade 06 (£29,093 - £32,654) TO Grade 08 (£37,938 - £41,511)
This is a fantastic opportunity to work for a forward thinking and dynamic transport authority located in the heart of the North West Warrington, Cheshire
Recruiter: Warrington Borough Council

Principal Performance and Assurance Manager

£Competitive
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Principal Performance and Assurance Manager to join our Senior Management Team SBIM Avonmouth, Bristol
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Construction Manager

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a Permanent Principal Construction Manager to join our dynamic Area 12 West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Amey

Electrician

£Competitive
We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for two Permanent Electricians Tingley, Wakefield
Recruiter: Amey

Principal Engineer – Structures Capital Delivery

£43,693 - £47,754
To act as one of the Agent's technical experts for highway structures schemes and related issues South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer Programme Management

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer ensuring effective co-ordination, programming and contract administration. South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent

Senior Engineer – Structures Delivery

£36,124 - £39,513
To support the Principal Engineer Structures (Capital Works) and deputise if necessary South Wales
Recruiter: South Wales Trunk Road Agent
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW