Tim Prater questions Highways Agency on M20 Operation Stack Moveable Barrier

Shepway Councillor Tim Prater has written to the Highways Agency this afternoon to ask why the new "moveable barrier" between junctions 11 and 12 of the M20 has not been deployed, despite Phase 2 of Operation Stack being implemented.

Lib Dem Cllr Prater wrote:

"I understand that due to industrial action at a number of French ports, Operation Stack phase 2 has been implemented on the M20 this afternoon, and may continue until Thursday.

"In 2008, a moveable barrier was constructed junctions 11 &12 of the M20 designed to allow the implementation of phase one of Operation Stack while still allowing traffic to move both ways on the M20. Given that Operation Stack is now in force, are there plans to now use the barrier? Why was this not put in place before the implementation of phase 2 of Operation Stack?"