"A Concrete White Elephant": Operation Stack is Back despite new "Quick Moveable Barrier"

4.41.38pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 15th Apr 2009

In 2008, the Highways Agency installed an expensive "quick moveable barrier" on the M20 to deal with Operation Stack problems.

The recent closure of ferry services led to Operation Stack being put in place. The new barrier was not used, with the M20 being closed from J8-9 causing huge disruption to traffic travelling to Folkestone.

When questioned by Lib Dem campaigner Tim Prater why the barrier had not been deployed, Kent Police said that the barrier section "would have been to capacity in a couple of hours" making it no use for a delay longer than that.

Folkestone Councillor for Cheriton, Tim Prater, commented:

"We were told the barrier would reduce Operation Stack problems, and the M20 near Folkestone suffered months of delays as it was installed and then left in the road for months. Now it is needed, the Police say its 'the wrong kind of Stack' for the barrier to have been useful.

"Local residents are entitled to know actually when the barrier can be used - how many delays are actually only a couple of hours? If it is of no use for most problems then we need a different solution to Operation Stack - not a concrete white elephant."

The response from Roscoe Walford, Head of Roads Policing, Kent Police says:

"The quick moveable barrier (QMB) was not used as a tactical option on this occasion as the French fisherman had blockaded all 3 ports and that meant, based on assessment, that the disruption to cross channel traffic will be severely disrupted.

"The QMB section of the M20 would have been to capacity within a couple of hours and that would have meant we would have to move to phase 2 very quickly, thus doubling the staff and potential cost to the public purse.

"We are told that the French action will be continuing for at least 48 hours.

"Therefore to minimise disruption as far as reasonably practical, we made the decision that the lorries could be held in phase 2 only, thus leaving junction 11 and the Channel Tunnel clear for the local community in that area and tunnel travellers.

"We are hoping that this will all be cleared by Friday at the latest."