Traffic is free flowing in Dover town centre this morning (Saturday, 9 April 2022) as fears of gridlock eased.
Although cross-Channel freight traffic is still experiencing long delays on the M20, local roads in and around Dover are clear with only minor delays at key junctions where Kent Police are actively managing HGVs and sending queue jumpers back to the M20.
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Leader of Dover District Council, said: “Kent Police and the Kent Resilience Forum have worked hard to keep Dover open on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year and in the face of the disruption caused by P&O Ferries.”
Dover District Council had considered declaring a major incident this weekend if there was a repeat of the chaotic scenes in Dover on 2-3 April when the town was effectively cut-off with local roads choked with port traffic.
Acknowledging the wider impact still ongoing in the county, Cllr Bartlett repeated the call for the government to invest in the road network that connects the UK’s primary roll-on/roll-off port.
“This won’t be the last time we face this challenge, and we need a long-term solution which starts with the government recognising the Port of Dover as critical national infrastructure and vital to UK trade.”
Posted on 09 April 2022