Dover 'chaos' is 'like herding cats' - traffic boss

Managing traffic caused by congestion at Dover Port is "like herding cats", Kent County Council's highways strategy manager has said (stock image)

Trying to manage tourist traffic which is causing "huge chaos" in Dover is "like herding cats", a Kent traffic boss has said.

Dover residents were subject to hours of queueing traffic at the weekend as thousands of cars and freight lorries tried to leave the country via the port and LeShuttle in Folkestone.

Politicians in Dover have said the continuing traffic issues are "not acceptable" amid ongoing problems in the town and have called for better measures including a lorry park to help ease delays.

Dover District Council leader Kevin Mills said: "We seem not to learn from many of the mistakes."

He added: "Everyone involved needs to get their act together and get Dover moving.

"It's very obvious that what's in place at the moment doesn't work."

Residents and business owners in Dover said they faced delays up to three hours at the weekend caused by lorries being held during Operation Brock and a backlog of tourist traffic.

Travellers were also warned of 90-minute processing times at the French border during check-in.

Toby Howe, highways and transportation strategic manager for Kent County Council and part of the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum, said issues were caused by tourist traffic pouring into an already full Port of Dover, causing backlogs.

He told BBC Radio Kent: "Tourist traffic is causing huge chaos in the town. It's like herding cats.

"Until the government finds a solution to hold and manage the traffic, we in Kent and Dover are going to suffer."

Responding to suggestions that a lorry park should be created on the site of the Sevington Inland Border Facility, Mr Howe said the plan would "create a huge bottleneck" and would not stop tourist traffic issues.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We recognise the impact Operation Brock has on residents, which is why we're working closely with partners to improve safety, reduce local impacts and develop longer-term traffic management solutions.

"This could include using technology and off-road sites for holding HGVs when there is disruption on the short straits."