Transport Secretary announces proposed site for Operation Stack lorry area

A new lorry area will be created in Stanford West as a solution to Operation Stack, a procedure of parking lorries on the M20 when there is disruption to cross channel services.

It will help keep the M20 moving during disruption to cross-channel services.

Operation Stack was used on a record 32 days last year as the area was hit with unprecedented disruption in the summer.

Following this, in last year’s Autumn Statement the government announced it would be providing up to £250 million for a permanent lorry area.

Patrick McLoughlin, Secretary of State for Transport, said: "Operation Stack is only ever used as a last resort but we recognise the impact it has on roads in Kent, and are determined to deliver an alternative solution.

The new lorry area by the M20 will deliver better journeys for drivers and will not only support the region’s economy but also businesses as far away as Scotland that rely on the M20 to access the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel.

We have committed up to £250 million for the lorry area and we are now making it a reality."

The government is exploring using the site for overnight parking of lorries, relieving pressure caused by some drivers parking in unsuitable or illegal locations.

The lorry area will provide parking for up to 3,600 lorries. A Highways England consultation showed strong support for a permanent lorry area to reduce or remove the need to close the M20.