KENT TORIES' OPERATION STACK LORRY PARK A FANTASY

Kent Labour demonstrated that the Tory proposal for a lorry park on farmland was a non-starter. The revelation came during questioning of officers and Tory Cabinet Member for Highways, Keith Ferrin, during Kent County Council's Cabinet Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday. The cost of a temporary lorry park was estimated at £20 million compared to £10 million for the machinery for temporary contra flows.

Mike Eddy, Labour Shadow Leader of Kent County Council, says:

"It would cost some £13 million to construct safe access roads to and from the motorway. Any farmland acquired for a temporary lorry park would need to have planning permission and would leap in value."

Ray Parker, Labour Shadow Cabinet Member for the Environment, says:

"The Tories at County Hall have played a cruel trick on the people of Kent by pretending there is a simple solution to Operation Stack which won't lead to them concreting over a hundred acres of Kent."

Derek Smyth, Labour Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, says:

"I was pleased to hear that Kent County Council is at last getting round to seeking help from the region's Members of the European Parliament. If only the County Hall Tories had worked with Government in a joint approach to the EU, we might have got a real solution by now."