Fresh produce hauliers will now be permitted to travel straight through to the Port of Dover and the Channel tunnel bypassing traffic control measure Operation Stack.
Under the new measures announced by the Department of Transport, Manston, Kent International Airport will now provide short-term additional capacity to Operation Stack, which uses a closed section of the M20 motorway, for other freight traffic on its way to Dover. The M20 is open both ways and Operation Stack is currently not in place (5 August).
The news comes as distributors and importers face increasing numbers of order cancellations following delays caused by the migrant crisis at Calais. This week FPJ reported that one fresh produce distributor in the Kent region has suffered up to 20 per cent of orders cancelled on one day, and said the issue is now a weekly occurrence.
“Quick-to-market products will be identified as part of the filter procedure on entry to Operation Stack,” said transport minister, Lord Ahmad. “Such loads will at present be limited to fresh produce, which needs to be at market within a matter of hours, but will not include other products with a longer life-span.”
The move to prioritise fresh produce and other perishables has been welcomed by the Scottish government, calling it “common sense” and “real progress”.
'At last we are seeing common sense prevail and a recognition of the impact on food exporters,” said Scottish farming minister, Richard Lochhead. 'The Scottish government has repeatedly called for action from the outset of this disruption, and so I welcome this move to prioritise key consignments – including fresh produce – through the Channel Tunnel and Port of Dover.
'Agreement of this protocol to prioritise a quick-to-market route is real progress and we will, of course, monitor its introduction and effectiveness.”
Kent Police’s deputy chief constable, Paul Brandon, said: “We have been in a critical situation in Kent since the middle of June and, in that time the situation in Kent has been acknowledged as a very real, national issue.”
Lord Ahmad said the use of Manston will be kept under review and impacts will be monitored on local routes and at the Port of Dover.
Lochhead added that the Scottish government is “particularly concerned” about the humanitarian situation in relation to migrants, and will urge the UK to play its part in a co-ordinated and comprehensive EU plan of action.
