Lorry Park Protest Success for LPA

The Lorry Park Alliance must be delighted with the response to funding a potential Lorry Park at junctiom 10 of the M20 at Aldington.

Kent Online reports that Ministers rejected a bid to fund the project from the Sustainable Community Fund, due to the likely rising costs of the project.

The Campaign Group formed specifically to protest against the building of a 70 acre site to house lorries during increasingly frequent bouts of Operation Stack. The campaign attracted many high profile supporters, including Campaign to Protect Rural England and Ashford Liberal Democrats Parliamentary Spokesperson Chris Took.

Inspite of the negative response to the proposals, Kent County Council have been determined to push the development of the park through, still inviting signatures on their website now.

However, KCC have lost their battle to have the Government foot the bill for their proposal, unless they fund it themselves.

However, with the implementation of the Localism Bill, a new form of public consultation could significantly marr KCC's plans to build the park themselves, if they could afford to undertake the project.

But there is still the necessity to reduce the misery that Operation Stack causes on Kent's Motorways. As residents of Ashford are well aware, every time the Police cordon off the M20, the surrounding A roads become stodged with traffic, having a significantly negative effect on the roads and the county as a whole.

The M2, not designed to bear the weight of traffic with only two lanes, usually comes to a grinding halt and the usual gridlock of rush hour is extended at every turn.

Any suggestions that would not impact on the environment, but allow the county to be relatively unscathed, would be greatly appreciated!