Written evidence from the Department for Transport (OPP0019)

Introduction

The Department for Transport welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Transport Select Committee Inquiry into Operation Stack.

While the following evidence gives the Department’s perspective on Operation Stack, it should be considered in conjunction with the more detailed information provided by Highways England for the complete response to the areas of interest raised by the Select Committee, as well as the evidence provided by Highways England at the earlier hearing on 14 October 2015.

This note sets out the background and current position relating to the short and long-term solutions to improve Operation Stack and addresses each of the Transport Select Committee’s areas of interest in turn.

Background and current position

Operation Stack is the co-ordinated multi-agency response to increases in demand being placed on the road networks of Kent, caused by a reduction in the capacity for vehicles to leave the UK by sea ferry from the ports of Dover or by rail through the Channel Tunnel.  It was first introduced in the late 1980s.

Historically, Operation Stack has been used in response to occasional major disruption, typically for a few days a year and only for a few days at a time and accommodating up to about 2,000 lorries by closing sections of the M20 motorway.

However, between January and August 2015 Operation Stack was implemented on a record 32 days. This included three implementations each lasting five days; and on two occasions, both carriageways were closed to general traffic and used to accommodate over 5,000 lorries.

The Government worked with local stakeholders to investigate short and long-term measures to help keep traffic and goods moving and ensure that people could go about their lives as normally as possible.

Short term measure

Manston airfield was introduced into Operation Stack in August 2015 as a short-term measure to provide additional capacity to help manage freight traffic on its way to the Port of Dover.  Manston is currently available to help reduce disruption on the M20 during Operation Stack while the Government develops a long-term solution.

Long term measure

The Chancellor announced in his Spending Review and Autumn Statement in November 2015 that Government would be:

“…providing up to £250 million for a major new permanent lorry park to increase resilience in Kent, by taking pressure off the roads in the event of

Operation Stack. The government will consult on a preferred site at Stanford and other alternatives shortly.”

On behalf of Government, Highways England launched their consultation on the long term solutions to Operation Stack on 11 December 2015 and this closed on 26 January 2016. Highways England also held a series of local public exhibitions explaining the proposals to local residents, the last of these was held on 12 January 2016.  The location of the preferred site at Stanford to the northwest of J11 of the M20.

Highways England are now analysing the consultation responses received and carefully considering all views presented. Highways England will provide the Department for Transport with a report on the public consultation following which the Secretary of State for Transport will decide how to proceed.

Highways England is working on delivering a long-term solution as quickly as possible, subject to further consultation and completion of the respective statutory processes, which it is legally bound to do.

Evidence request received from the Transport Select Committee

The Committee has asked to receive written evidence on Operation Stack and on any of the issues identified in evidence taken at the October 2015 session. The Department’s response is set out below under each of the Committee’s areas of interest:

1. The effect of a new lorry park on the planning, management and implementation of Operation Stack

Highways England has been asked to develop proposals for a new permanent lorry park of up to 4,000 spaces. A lorry park will increase resilience in Kent by taking pressure off the roads in the event of Operation Stack.  With a lorry park in place, sections of the M20 would only need to be closed in the rare event that the lorry park were to reach capacity.

Details of the operation of a lorry park are being developed. It is expected that it would be available 24/7 and that lorries would be directed into it using electronic signs. 

Operation Stack is multi-agency response and operational arrangements incorporating a new lorry park will be developed in parallel with developing the proposed new site.

2. The predicted benefits and disadvantages of changes to Operation Stack consequent on the building of a lorry park on the economy (locally and nationally) and local communities

The Department has identified that there are likely to be benefits in some of the following areas – (i) delay and disruption to M20 road users will be significantly reduced; (ii) delay and disruption to local road users will be significantly reduced; and (iii) significant reductions in disruption to local businesses; and (iv) improved safety for emergency services.

However, the Department recognises there may be some disbenefits of implementing a long term solution and will aim to introduce mitigation measures where appropriate. Some disbenefits may include (i) adverse environmental impacts; (ii) the capital and operational costs of a site; and (iii) some disruption to local road users in the vicinity of the site – although these will be mitigated where practicable.

As with any major project, Highways England is carrying out an economic assessment of the benefits and disbenefits of the proposal.

3. The extent to which current negative impacts will be mitigated by the creation of a lorry park

The proposed lorry park will be able to hold up to 4,000 HGVs, so this will significantly reduce the need to close the M20. Only in the rare event that the proposed site has reached capacity will closure of sections of the M20 motorway be needed.   This will benefit local residents and businesses in terms of journey time duration and reliability as well as longer-distance traffic.

In addition to its interface with Operation Stack, Highways England is looking at whether the proposed site could help with the Dover ‘TAP’ (Traffic Assessment Project). This is where port-bound lorries are queued in the nearside lane of the A20 approaching Dover; forming a “rolling queue” by the use of traffic signals on the A20 on the south west side of Dover. It was introduced as a trial in April 2015 and has been used regularly since to allow lorries to enter the town along the A20 when capacity at the Port allows.

Highways England is looking at whether the proposed site could be used for overnight lorry parking, as stakeholders have advised that there is a shortage of spaces in Kent.

4. The short-term solutions needed to improve Operation Stack while construction of a lorry park is underway

The Department for Transport announced on 4 August 2015 that agreement had been reached with the owners of Manston Airfield in East Kent to enable Kent Police, Highways England and Kent County Council to queue lorries bound for the Port of Dover on a temporary basis in the event that Operation Stack is activated. It currently remains available for use if needed.

The use of Manston Airfield is kept under review and its impacts will be monitored on local routes and at the Port of Dover. This short-term measure will provide some relief to those living around the M20 if Operation Stack is implemented, while Highways England develops a solution for the long term.

5. The other actions that central and local government need to take, including those on road maintenance and improvement, upstream and downstream from the proposed lorry park

The sites proposed in the recent Highways England consultation would require only localised changes to the strategic and local road networks. There has been stakeholder concern as to the capacity of other routes access to Kent. This will be considered further by Highways England in their Route Strategies, which will be launched shortly.

February 2016

Appendix 1 Locations of potential sites

1. Stanford West

2. M20 Junction 11