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Chaos continues during Operation Stack

Ferry Online Travel News 10/03/2008

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Ferry workers striking has backed up traffic

A French dispute over pay has resulted in what could be Britain’s largest traffic jam. Lorries are parked bumper to bumper once more along the M20 in Kent, waiting for a ferry to take them across the Channel. Unfortunately, one of the largest ferry operators, SeaFrance, has been unable to settle an ongoing dispute with its workers and get the ferry schedule back on track.

SeaFrance workers have been on strike for over a week, causing lorries to pile up on the shoulder of the motorway leading to the port. The congestion has brought most of the area to a complete standstill. Police have been forced to use the hard shoulder of the M20 and part of the road to park lorries, a practice known as Operation Stack.

Operation Stack has closed the road between Junction Eight and Nine. According to members of Kent Police, this is the first time in 20 years that the road has remained closed for more than three days.

Kent County Council leaders have grown so frustrated they are threatening to write French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, about the matter.

Paul Carter said: "This must have cost Kent millions and millions of pounds. This has gone on for seven days now.

"I intend to write to Mr Sarkozy to tell him about the massive disruption it is causing to Kent residents, the Kent economy and the broader UK economy."

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