Priority scheme for ‘quick to market’ goods welcomed by FTA

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) have welcomed measures that will see time sensitive cargoes fast tracked through Operation Stack.

A filtering system has been agreed to by Kent Police, which will see loads carrying such items as fresh fruit, livestock, shellfish and emergency medication will no longer have to queue on the M20 or the recently created area at Manston Airport and will instead be routed directly to the Port of Dover or Channel Tunnel.

Lengthy delays could see exports such as fish and live lobsters from Scotland perish, which is why the FTA have been pushing for a ‘quick to market’ priority scheme for products which originate from the British Isles.

Manston Airport will also be used to support Operation Stack on the M20 to ease congestion on the motorway and surrounding roads.

FTA’s Head of Policy for Scotland, Chris MacRae, said: “FTA was involved in emergency calls with the Scottish Government in an effort to resolve this issue. Valuable cargoes of lobsters and fish were being held up in queues – this can’t be allowed to happen. The new scheme is a sensible measure to ensure that loads aren’t spoiled and ‘quick to market’ goods are prioritised.”

It is expected that a maximum of 200 trucks per day will be given priority by police upon production of a CMR declaration stating the cargo. Any hauliers found to be providing false information to queue jump will be escorted to the next junction and forced to join the back of the queue.

Kent Police has reserved the right to scrap the scheme should it be abused.

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